Journal of Environmental Biology

Sodium cyanide induced alteration in the whole animal oxygen consumption and behavioural pattern of freshwater

fish Labeo rohita

Muniswamy David*, Jeyabalan Sangeetha and Etigemane R. Harish

Department of Studies in Zoology, Karnatak University, Dharwad ? 580 003, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: davidkcd@gmail.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

10 October 2013

Revised received:

26 March 2014

Accepted:

03 September 2014

Abstract

Sodium cyanide is a common environmental pollutant which is mainly used in many industries such as mining, electroplating, steel manufacturing, pharmaceutical production and other specialized applications including dyes and agricultural products. It enters aquatic environment through effluents from these industries. Static renewal bioassay test has been conducted to determine LC₅₀ of sodium cyanide on indigenous freshwater carp, Labeo rohita. The behavioural pattern and oxygen consumption were observed in fish at both lethal and sub lethal concentrations. Labeo rohita in toxic media exhibited irregular and erratic swimming movements, hyper excitability, loss of equilibrium and shrinking to the bottom, which may be due to inhibition of cytochrome C oxidase activity and decreased blood pH. The combination of cytotoxic hypoxia with lactate acidosis depresses the central nervous system resulting in respiratory arrest and death. Decrease in oxygen consumption was observed at both lethal and sub lethal concentrations of sodium cyanide. Mortality was insignificant at sub lethal concentration test when fishes were found under stress. Consequence of impaired oxidative metabolism and elevated physiological response by fish against sodium cyanide stress showed alteration in respiratory rate. ?? 

 Key words

Acute toxicity, Behaviour, Labeo rohita, Oxygen consumption, Sodium cyanide 

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