Author(s): Nahed M Ismail, Suzan E Ali and Ihab K Mohamed

Abstract: The present study was aimed to apply different approaches of biochemical and histological biomarkers on the Nile tilapia fish to assess the water pollution referring to the lining of the water canals in Egypt that may affect the health state of the inhabiting organisms of these canals. The field study areas were divided according to the degree of pollution into two study areas; with low or high pollution. Each study area has lined and unlined sites, respectively (the low-pollution study area (1) has sites I, II and the high-pollution study area (2) has sites III, IV). The present analysis of the water of the unlined site IV of the study area (2) recorded the highest value of pollution with heavy metals. The results indicated that when the water quality is affected, the physiological functions of the fish were affected, as well. These changes were reflected in the values of one or more of the biochemical parameters of the fish. The biochemical analysis of the serum revealed significantly (P < 0.05) higher values of the activities of the alkaline phosphatase, the alanine transaminase and the aspartate transaminase (ALP, ALT and AST, respectively) in the fish collected from the highly polluted unlined sites than those in the samples collected from the lined sites; with less degree of pollution. The liver tissue of fish collected from the highly polluted unlined sites had marked histopathological alterations such as cytoplasmic vacuolation of the hepatocytes, pyknosis of the nuclei and necrosis of many liver cells. In addition to loss of architecture, distortion, congestion and dilation of the blood vessels were observed. According to these findings, it was concluded that the biochemical and histological investigation of the Nile tilapia fish can be used as biomarkers for assessment of the environmental pollution of the watercourses.

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