The Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus was exposed to Paraquat for 24 h so as to monitor its effects on the fish's haematology, and general behaviours. The haematological parameters estimated include haemoglobin, mean cell haemoglobin, mean cell haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean cell volume, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and white and red blood cell counts. The hepatosomatic index was measured for different concentrations of Paraquat exposed. Results showed that the hepatosomatic index was decreasing with increasing concentration of Paraquat. Haemoglobin, mean cell haemoglobin, mean cell haemoglobin concentration and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were observed to be negatively related to concentration of Paraquat. Packed cell volume, white blood cell count (WBC), red blood cell count (RBC) showed positive relationship with concentration while mean cell volume was not significantly changing with change in concentration of Paraquat.
Clarias gariepinus is an important commercial fish with high acceptable eating qualities for both producers and consumers. Its blood parameters were examined because of the importance of blood to the health of animals. Ten C. gariepinus sub-adults from a parent population of weight 76.26±0.92 g and standard length of 22.50±61 cm were exposed to different concentrations of Atrazine, a pre-emergence and soil active herbicide in triplicates. A range finding and definitive tests were carried out to observed biological and behavioural parameters, including erratic swimming; air gulping, ulcerations, operculation, discoloration and death. Physico-chemical parameters (dissolved oxygen concentration, pH and conductivity) and haematological parameters (haemoglobin concentration, mean cell hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration and pack cell volume were not significantly different between treatments (p>0.05) while red blood cell, white blood cell and mean corpuscle volume were significantly different between the control and the treatments (p<0.05). Conductivity did not vary significantly with Atrazine concentration, dissolved oxygen and pH varied significantly but was within the range for fish survival. Mortalities observed might have been due to influence of the chemical, biological and haematological characteristics of the fish.Keywords: Atrazine, haematology, biological and behavioural parameters, Clarias gariepinus
Venoms are poisons or toxins of animal origin in which the animal that produce the toxins are capable of introducing the toxins into the body of the victims. Animals that produce toxins but lack the ability to introduce the toxins into their victims are said to be poisonous animals. Venoms are classified based on their site of action in the bodies of their victims. Thus, they classified into local, auto pharmacological, antihaemostic, neurological mascular cardiac and renal types; and based on the type of animal producing the venom, it is difficult to classify venom based on chemical constitution because of the fact that a particular venom is highly complex chemically with many reactive sites. The role venoms play on organisms in the environment is highlighted.
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