HAEMATOLOGICAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF AFRICAN CATFISH (Clarias gariepinus) EXPOSED TO SUBLETHAL CONCENTRATIONS OF PORTLAND CEMENT POWDER

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the haematological and histopathological response of African catfish (Clarias
gariepinus) to Portland cement powder (PCP). Aquatic systems are not the target of PCP but due to its ineluctable use in
the environment, they may directly or indirectly find their way into the water body. A total number of 65 juvenile African
catfish of the same brood stock and of both sexes, with mean weighing 12 ± 1.3g and mean length 12 ± 1.3cm were used for
this study. The fish were distributed into five experimental groups using 100 litres capacity plastic aquaria with water
quality; temperature of 28.6°C, pH of 7.16, electrical conductivity of 16.1μs, dissolved oxygen of 4.1, salinity of 0.186ppt
and total dissolved solute of 14.8. The experimental fish were fed with standard feed (Blue crown) at 08:00 and 16:00 hour
each day and toxicant media were changed every 48 hours throughout the study period. The study lasted for a period of 3
months and at the end of each month, three fish were randomly selected from each group for laboratory analysis. The
various parameters analyzed include; gill histology, PCV, Hb, WBC, heterophils, lymphocytes and eosinophils. Results
indicate that there was severe distortion in the gill histology of the exposed groups while none was observed in control
groups. Haematological analysis revealed that: the deleterious effect of PCP on PCV, Hb, RBC, heterophils, lymphocytes
of African catfish were significant (P < 0.05) while WBC, monocytes and eosinophils were not significant (P > 0.05) when
compared to the control groups after 3 months.