Clinicopathological Studies in Fish Suffering from Some Water Pollutants

Abstract

Copper is an essential micro-nutrient element that occurs in rock, soil, water, sediment, air, plants and animal tissues. The concentration of copper irt friver and lakes has dramatically increased as a result of discharge of effluents from farms, the production of antifouling paints and copper mining, and therefore, has adversely affected aquatic life. Our studies were conducted to evaluate the incidence of heavy metal pollution in both water and tissues of catfish, Clarias lazera, from Ismailia Canal. Fifty water and catfish, Clarias lazera, samples were collected from five different localities of Ismalia Canal (Mostord, Abou-zabal, Belbeis, El-Abbasa and Ismailia Governorate). Ten samples wete collected from each locality for analysis of copper, mercury, lead and cadmium. The'mercury surface water level was found to be above the maximum permissible limit at Mostord and Abou-Zabal. The cmncentrations of mercury and lead in muscle tissue exceeded the permissible limit at Mostord and Abou-Zabal

only.

The 96 hr LC value of copper as copper sulfate in Juvenile channel catfish. 50 •

Ictalarus punctatus. was estimated. The effects of acute and subchronic copper toxicity on the hematological picture, serum biochemical parameters, pathological studies, liver metallothionein concentration and macrophages chemotaxis have beeen investigated in channel catfish, Ictalarus punctatus. Also, the effects of subchronic copper toxicity on reproduction hormones of mature male and female channel catfish, Ictalarus punctatus, were recorded. The 96 hr LC50 value of copper as copper sulfate in juvenile channel catfish,

Ictalarus punctatus, was 0.2 ppm at 23°C, total hardness 55 mg!L and dissolved oxygen

8.3 mg/L.

Groups of 20 juvenile channel catfish, Ictalarus punctatus, were used to study the acute toxicity of copper. They were exposed to 0.00, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.10 ppm copper as