ASSESSMENT OF BLOOD HEALTH, TOTAL PROTEIN CONTENT AND GILLS HISTOPATHOLOGY IN FISH INJECTED WITH PLASTICIZERS, DI-METHYL PHTHALATE AND DI-N-OCTYL PHTHALATE

Healthy juveniles of Ctenopharyngodon idella were injected intramuscularly with phthalates, Di-methyl-phthalate, (DMP), Di -n -octyl Phthalate (D-n-oP) and mixture of both Phthalates for 3, 6 and 15 days, respectively. Histo-pathological alterations in gills were examined in juveniles of C. idella of varied weight (61.00+11.44 g) and length (8.40+0.37). Analysis of condition factor (C.F.) for fish health assessment revealed that C.F values of 6- and 15-days phthalate exposures in both treatment groups showed significant lower mean values as compared to the 3-days exposed group indicating poor meat quality and toxic impact of phthalates. Comparison of total protein content in all the treatment groups showed statistically significantly highest fluctuations in the protein contents. Hematological analysis of C.idella revealed significant decrease in Total RBCs count, Hemoglobin concentration, Hematocrit and platelet count in all treatment groups at p<0.05. Significant histological alterations in gills were epithelial lifting, fusion of primary and secondary gill lamellae, epitheliocystis, expansion of basal epithelial cells of gill arch and hyperplasia. HAI_Gills for phthalate injected fish followed the order: HAI_15-day> HAI_6-day >HAI_3-day.