Histopathology of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) from Industrially Contaminated Locations of Ologe Lagoon, South-Western, Nigeria

Adeboyejo, A. , Fagbenro, O. , Adeparusi, Y. & Emikpe, B.
This study reports the physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals in Ologe lagoon and the histopathological effects on the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) collected from effluents sources on the lagoon. Water samples were collected from five point sources in triplicates; once every two months from each sample station from January – November 2011. Effluent samples from these point sources were also analyzed. Mean (±SD) values for physico-chemical parameters, heavy-metals were pH, 6.17±0.42-10.25±1.18, DO, 1.18±0.50-6.13±1.03 mg/l, TDS, 86.6±19.17-621.97±16.22 mg/l, hardness, 0-58.03±0.90 mg/l, alkalinity, 22.06±8.08-352.37±14.58 mg/l, Cl-1, 31.09±18.16-268.98±31.41 mg/l, acidity, 0-73.73±13.00 mg/l, Zn, 0.07±0.01-0.65±0.18 mg/l, Fe, 0-1.40±0.50 mg/l, Cu, 0.001±0.001-0.53±0.36 mg/l, Cd, 0-0.07±0.02 mg/l, and Pb, 0-10.15±21.83 mg/l. Lesions were observed in fish from the lagoon as tissue bio-makers consistent with the exposure of fish to effluents. These include pigmented macrophage aggregation, vacuolation of hepatocytes, multi foci coagulative necrosis and liver fatty degeneration. Key Words: Histopathology, physicochemical, catfish, Ologe lagoon, effluents.