Author(s): Popoola Omoniyi Michael

Abstract: The impact of short term exposure to herbicides, atrazine on Clarias gariepinus juveniles was evaluated using standard methods that assessed fish histology, haematological and biochemical. Histology analysis of the fish organs examined revealed varying degrees of pathological alterations to the gill and liver in the study. The gill of fish showed alterations like thickening of lamella and sloughing off. The liver exhibited changes such as vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes, hepatocyte swelling and necrosis amongst other were observed. The assessment of biochemical parameters revealed significant increase (p<0.05) in the activities of enzymes, Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and Lactate dehydrogense (LDH) in all experimental groups compared with control exposures. There was also a significant increase (p<0.05) in the value of blood glucose of the fishes. All experimental groups showed significant different (p<0.05) in the values across the treatments for PCV, HB, WBC, MCHC, MCV and MCH. The study therefore revealed that atrazine exposure had a toxic effect on C. gariepinus.

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