DNA DAMAGE IN MAJOR CARP INDUCED BY ACUTE EXPOSURE TO POLLUTED DRAIN WATER

Tayyaba Sultana*, Muhammad Arshad Rana, Salma Sultana and Shahid Mahboob Rana
Department of Zoology, Government College University, Faisalabad-38000, Pakistan
E-Mail: arif143@yahoo.com
 

In this study, Chakbandi drain's composite water  concentrations were collected from the selected sites in the month of April, May and June, 2016 and applied to fingerling's of three fish species i.e. Catla catla, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus  mrigala under laboratory conditions in glass aquaria. After determining the LC50, the sub-lethal dilutions i.e. 20%, 25%, 30%, 35% and 40% of drain water were tested for three month's acute toxicity trial.

All the water quality parameters i.e. DO, pH, temperature, conductivity, TDS, salinity, TSS, BOD and COD and concentration of selected heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Mn, Cd, Co, Ni, Sn, Hg, Zn and Pb) recorded from drain water were found above the permissible limits as described by FAO/ WHO.

During current research, the DNA damage in fish peripheral erythrocytes was quantified by using different categories (Type I, Type-II, Type-III and Type-IV) of damaged cells that were arbitrarily defined according to the tail length (size) of the comets and percentage of damaged cells was calculated. Maximum frequency of DNA damaged cells was recorded in erythrocytes of Cirrhinus mrigalawhen compared with Labeo rohita and Catla catla. Cirrhinus mrigala showed maximum average tail DNA length and average tail moment than Labeo rohita and Catla catla.

Maximum mean total no. of cells with micronuclei and maximum micronuclei frequency was identified in erythrocytes of Cirrhinus mrigala than Labeo rohita and Catla catla. Conclusively, DNA Fragmentaion is found to be reliable for the assessment of environmental pollution. Moreover, findings of this study are helpful as an early warning for environmental monitoring strategies and for the evaluation of eco-toxicological impacts of pollutions reaching in aquatic fauna particularly fish and indirectly to human populations.