Journal of Environmental Biology

Copper toxicity investigated at the biochemical, genotoxicological and histopathological levels under environmentally relevant concentration on food fish Channa punctatus

J. Bakhasha¹, S.P. Trivedi², K.K. Yadav³, V. Saxena¹, N. Arya¹ and A.Trivedi¹*     

¹Toxicogenomics Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, M.J.P. Rohilkhand University, Bareilly-243 006, India

²Centre of Excellence in Fish Neutrigenomics, Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226 007, India

³Department of Zoology, Government Degree College, Unnao-209 801, India

Received: 23 January 2024                   Revised: 20 February 2024                   Accepted: 21 March 2024

*Corresponding Author Email : abha14sep@gmail.com                    *ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3671-1256

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Environmentally Relevant Concentration of Copper (ERCC) on anti-oxidant defense machinery and genotoxicity as well as their ultimate threats on the liver of Channa punctatus.

Methodology: After acclimatization, fish were categorized into four separate groups. Group I served as control Group, while II, III and IV were exposed to ERCC, 10% and 20% increase in ERCC (0.85 mg l^-1, 0.935 mg l^-1 and 1.02mg l^-1, respectively) for 15, 30, 45 and 60 days. Post-completion of stipulated exposure period, oxidative stress, DNA damages and hepato-architectural modifications were assessed.

Results: The activities of Superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and lipid peroxidation were enhanced, while glutathione level decreased significantly (p<0.05) with elevated levels of reactive oxygen species in a dose-dependent manner. Micronuclei induction and COMET assay confirmed the genotoxic potential of ERCC. Elevated levels of serum glutamic oxaloaceticacid transaminase, glutamic pyruvate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase along with the distorted liver architecture validated hepato-toxicity.

Interpretation: Fish are prone to toxicity at ERCC. Further increase by 10% or 20%, would be hazardous to fish, and eventually to humans at various tropic levels.

Key words: Comet assay, Copper, Fish, Histopathology, Micronucleus

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