Abstract

Effect of cadmium exposure on hematological and morphological changes in fresh water fish (Labeo rohita)

Authors: Ghazala Jabeen, Farkhanda Manzoor, Mateen Arshad and Bekzhan I. Barbol

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.71081/cvj/2021.003

Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a well-known and highly poisonous metal which presents a major health concern in exposed organisms. It is a naturally occurring metal in the environment which comes from industrial and agricultural process. Cadmium toxicity has been recorded in different countries across the globe. Therefore, this study executed to investigate the hematological, nuclear changes (micronuclei) and morphological alterations in erythrocytes of fresh water fish (Labeo rohita) exposed to sub-lethal dose (1.495 mg/L; 1/3 rd LC 50) of cadmium for 28 days. The results on blood investigation revealed that various blood parameters like erythrocyte, hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), and lymphocytes exposed to heavy metal showed significantly decreased values in treated group except white blood cells (WBCs) that showed significant increase in treated group. Various morphological alterations (sphrerocyte, dividing erythrocyte, microcyte, leptocyte, pear shape erythrocytes, tear shaped erythrocyte and leptocyte) were increased in cadmium treated as compared to unexposed group. The findings of current experiment work report for the first time the hematological and morphological abnormalities in the blood of fish due to Cd toxicity which may be considered as the biomarkers of cadmium toxicity in other experimental species.

Keywords: Hematocrit, Fish, Hypochromia, Lymphocytes, Anisocytosis