Toxicity Analysis of Coal Mine Effluent on Vital Organs of Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) Using Biometric and Biochemical Parameters

Abstract

Alteration of certain energy reserves (total glycogen, lipid, and protein contents) and cell regulatory (total nucleic acids) molecules were periodically analyzed (5, 12, 19, and 26 days) in seven vital organs (muscles, kidney, liver, gills, air‐breathing organs, brain, and skin) of coal mine effluent exposed Heteropneustes fossilis (a species of Asian catfish). Changes in the biometric parameters of four organs (liver, kidneys, brain, and gills) were also simultaneously measured. The fish did not survive after 26 days because of significant (p < 0.05) depletion in the concentration of all studied biomolecules. Increased concentration of glycogen and protein in most of the tissues between five and twelve days indicated induction of compensatory changes in the energy metabolism of the fish due to high‐energy utilization by these tissues for detoxification. An increased quantity of lipids in the skin throughout the exposure periods might be due to their release from the damaged membranes of degenerating cells. Furthermore, reduced weight, decreased condition factor and organosomatic indices following prolonged exposure corroborate the decreased biomolecule contents of these tissues and point towards extreme toxicity rendered by the coal mine effluent.

Locomotor and behavioural responses of empire gudgeons (Hypseleotris compressa) exposed to coal mine wastewater

“…Such responses have generally been attributed to increased food and nutrition resulting from organic matter in the wastewater (Campbell et al, 2003). Contrary to the trend observed in the present study and significant increases in k described in other studies, exposure to coal mine wastewater has also resulted in decreased condition in fish in both laboratory (Bharti and Banerjee, 2014) and field settings (Scullion and Edwards, 1980). Differences in morphological responses amongst studies may often be attributable to variability in environmental factors, differences in species sensitivity and adaptability, or effluent characteristics amongst locations.…”

Biochemical Alteration in the Labeo rohita Tissues Following Exposure to the Effluent Generated during Extraction of Metals from Polymetallic Sea Nodules

“…Hence discharge of this effluent enriched with several toxic metals contaminates the neighboring water bodies and affects the aquatic biota, which could subsequently reflect in the human health . Toxicity analyses of several industrial effluents and waste water using fish as an effective bioindicator have already been made effectively over the last decades . The extraction of metals from the PMNs is an emerging technique that also needs sincere consideration to define the toxic impact of the effluent released during PMN processing.…”