Detection on Electroplating Effluent-Induced Cytopathological Alterations and DNA Damage in the Blood Samples of Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton, 1822)

In the present study, fresh waterfish Cirrhinus mrigala has been used as a model organism to understand the mechanistic link between electroplating industrial effluent (EIE) and oxidative stress in aquatic ecosystems. To this end, the fishes were exposed to industrial effluent, in the tank water for 10, 20 and 30 days under controlled laboratory conditions. Various hematological parameters (Total RBC and WBC, Hemoglobin, MCV, MCH, PCV), biochemical metabolites (Glucose, protein, Cholesterol) and markers of genotoxicity (comet assay and micronuclear assay) were assessed. Fishes exposed for 30 days showed marked increase (p <0.001) in RBC with concomitant decrease in total WBC. There is significant (p <0.001) decline in indices of blood cells such as Hb, MCV, MCH and PCV. Results from comet assay showed significantly (p < 0.05) increased frequency genotoxicity in erythrocytes of as evident from observed increase in tail length in fishes exposed to EIE for 30 days. Overall, the results of this study, clearly demonstrated concentration dependent response of electroplating industrial effluent on freshwater fish Cirrhinus mrigala on haematological, biochemical and genotoxic markers. The results obtained herein suggests EIE as potential xenobiotics contributing towards ecotoxic and genotoxic effect in fishes.