Histological Morphology of Gill, Skin and Liver of Nile Tilapia Oreochromis Niloticus Fingerling Exposed to Jatropha Curcas (Linnaeus I779) Seed Powder

Abstract

The effect of Jatropha curcas seed powder on the histopathology of selected organs of Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings was investigated. O. niloticus fingerlings of 6.5cm-10cm in length and 14.7g-18g in weight were exposed to different concentrations of J.curcas seed powder at 133.3mg/l, 200mg/l, 266.7mg/l, 333.3mg/land 400mg/l. The acute toxicity of the toxicant to O. niloticusfingerlings was carried out using bioassay method under laboratory condition and the 96h LC 50 was 439.23mg/l with maximum admissible concentration of the toxicant to be 4.3923mg/l – 43.923mg/l which is derived by multiplying the 96h LC 50 with an application factor of 0.01 – 0.1 . After 96hr of exposure, Histopathological changes of gill, liver and skin were observed. In the gill there was Degeneration of the gill arch,Lamellae are severely stunted,Shortened and High degeneration of gill arch, filament & lamellae and Severe submucosal congestion, secondary lamellae are absent at the highest concentration. In the skin there wasNecrosis of the skinandHypertrophy, Necrosis and erosion of dermal cell. In the liver Disorientation of the liver parenchyma structures, Hyperplasia and disorientation of hepatic cells and marked sinusoidal congestion was observed. The pattern of response of O. niloticus fingerlings at the various concentration of J. curcas seed powder varied widely at the exposure duration. The observable effect of the toxicant on the examined organs could be could serve as a baseline information needed to develop models of J. curcas seed effects on ecological systems.