Some Effects of Mercury Chloride on the Liver and Gills of Clarias gariepinus
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This study was carried out to investigate the effects of mercury chloride on Clarias gariepinus. A static renewal
bioassay was adopted in which the test media was renewed at the same concentration once every 48 hours.
Based on the LC50 (0.5mg/L), three concentrations, 2.5mg/L, 1.25mg/L, 0.625mg/L mercury chloride in 25 liters
water, representing 1/5, 1/10, 1/20 of the LC50 respectively were administered on C. gariepinus juveniles. The
control was not given any concentration of the mercury chloride. Six fishes were sacrificed from each treatment
group and the control group at five days intervals. The gills and livers were removed and prepared for
histopathological observation. The histological examination of the liver and gill tissues showed changes which
include locally extensive vacuolar degeneration and variably sized cytoplasmic vacuoles of the hepatocytes and
swelling of epithelium in the treated groups. Gills and liver of fishes in the control group did not exhibit any of
these changes i.e. the histology of these organs showed no alteration in the control. The study shows that
mercury chloride exhibits toxic effects on Clarias gariepinus.
Keywords
QL Zoology