Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

CHANGES IN HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN A FRESH WATER MURAL CHANNA STRIATUS (BLOCH) EXPOSED TO CAPTAFOL-FUNGICIDE

K.M. Rajasree and Laly Jacob

Abstract

Healthy Channa striatus of length ranging from 13± 10cm and weight (20gm-30gm) were collected from the Pumba river and were exposed to different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%) of Captafol for 72 hrs. Again parallel groups of fishes were kept in water with equal volume of water and acetone and taken as control group. The haematological parameters analyzed are Total Erythrocyte Count (TEC), Total Leucocyte Count (TLC), differential counts of leucocytes, Total Platelet Count (TPC), total Hb content, haematocrit, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), RBC/WBC ratio, Volume Index (V.I), Colour Index (C.I) and Saturation Index (S.I). The results show that there is a significant reduction in TEC, TLC, TPC, Hb and Ht with increase in concentration of Captafol. ESR and the derived values like MCH, MCHC, V.I C.I S.I values are elevated when compared to the control group. The differential counts of leucocytes found to record an increase in the relative percentage of lymphocytes concurrent with a decrease in that of plasmacytes, neutrophils and basophils. The analysis of results show that the stresses due to Captafol caused a general weakness due to pancytopenia (decrease in all formed cellular elements) and anaemia (reduced erythrocyte number, heamoglobin content and haematocrit.) in Channa striatus.