Pollution Research Paper


Vol. 35, Issue 4, 2016

Page Number: 877-882

FISH HEALTH ALTERATIONS AS POTENTIAL BIOMARKERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN RIVERS OF PUNJAB (INDIA)

MISBA RASHID, SARABJEET KAUR AND RAHUL SINGH

Abstract

One way to assess the health of an aquatic ecosystem is to use biomarkers (mussels or fishes). This approach i.e, use of biomarkers allows early detection of biological changes due to chemical pollutants which may otherwise result in long-term disturbances. Fishes are considered as one of the largest group of animals sustaining in parallel to human beings. The changes in the aquatic topology due to the addition of chemicals are first stress to the fishes and thus they are the organisms which are regarded as indicators of aquatic degradation and contamination. The elements of scale always represent the hydrochemistry of water. EDX analysis has revealed contaminant absorption and alteration in normal composition of scale (Ca-40.15%, O- 35.95%, P- 22.98% and Mg-0.94%). The finding of heavy metals in scale is alarming. Oxygen content may be increased due to vacuole formation but arsenic (0.12-0.25%), lead (0.09-0.53%), aluminum (0.46%only from Harike site) and mercury (0.08-0.48%) share in scale component can not be ignored. Silicon (1.22%) only found in Gurdaspur site. The Histopathological alteration curling (Cr) of secondary lamellae was observed and identified in fishes Catla catla and Cirrhinus mrigala. Hepatic lesion in histological slide was observed and verified in sample and their frequency increased along with the course. Vacoulization in live cells, hemorrhage of macrophage are common alteration seen.