Effect of Paper mill effluent on Nucleic acid content in Vital Organs of Snake Headed Fish, Channa punctatus (Bloch,1793)

- Biochemical study provides an early warning to potentially damaging alterations in stressed animals. Animal’s health is influenced by the fluctuations or alterations in metabolic processes taking place in its body’s tissues. So, the objective of this study to investigate the impact of sub lethal concentrations of paper mill effluent on nucleic acids content in vital organs of fresh water snake headed fish, Channa punctatus (Bloch). A significant decrease in nucleic acids (DNA & RNA) content in heart, muscles, kidney, liver and gill of test fish after 15 days exposure to the effluent as compared with control. Although 10% paper mill effluent may not be lethal for Channa punctatus but it affects the growth and survival of entire population and community of fishes as the sublethal becomes lethal in the long term.