Acute Effect of Atrazine Exposure on Juveniles of Clarias Gariepinus
Acute Effect of Atrazine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54938/ijemdbmcr.2026.04.1.536Abstract
Atrazine is an herbicide of the triazine class which is used in agriculture to kill plants weed and they can be washed into waterbodies where they cause toxic pollution. The common Atrazine (2 - chloro - 4 - ethylamino - 6 - Isopropylamino - - s - trazine) is one of the most commonly used herbicides among rural farmers in Nigeria. These studies aimed at determining the effects of atrazine on haematology of juveniles of Clarias gariepinus. Healthy juveniles were randomly selected and weighed then exposed to five different concentrations of atrazine including control. Haematological, behavioural and mortality parameters were investigated in the exposed fish. Result obtains shows that behavioural and mortality parameters were dose dependent as the concentration of the atrazine increased, the tail beats and operculum ventilation increased. There was significant increase in mortality rate and change in behaviour (P<0.05) in 12 and 24 hours of the exposed fish compared to control. Behavioural effects observed include increased mucous secretion, restlessness, swirling irregular movement and fish progressively became sluggish and lethargic. Fish mortality was dose dependent and the 96 hours LC50 for the fish determined using probit analysis was 0.55mg/l. Significant changes (p<0.05) in haematological analysis were observed as the toxicant concentration increased. Mean Red Blood Cells (RBC), Haemoglobin content (Hb), Packed Cell Volume (PCV) reduced as the concentration of toxicant increased while other parameters increased proportionally with the toxicant concentration. It is thereby recommended that proper measures should be taken as regards to the discharge of chemicals or waste water arising from chemical industries into aquatic bodies to prevent the dead and possibly the extinction of many other fish species.
Keywords: Atrazine, Behaviour, Clarias gariepinus, Haematology, Mortality.
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