Remediative roles of vitamins A, C and E on some growth parameters of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) fingerlings exposed to lead nitrate in semi-static system

Abstract

Persistent environmental pollutants over the years have had deleterious effects on aquatic biota and by extension other living organisms on earth. The present study attempted to determine the roles of some vitamins in reducing the effects of Lead (Pb) in terms of some observed differences in the growth parameters of Clarias gariepinus. C. gariepinus fingerlings (whose initial weight ranged from 3 to 11g) were subjected to sub-lethal concentrations of Pb (00, 26mg/L, 44mg/L, 61mg/L and 79mg/L). Vitamins A, C and E at 26mg/L in each case were administered across all bud, respectively. The growth parameters measured every 7th day for a period of 12 weeks were standard lengths (SL), total lengths (TL) and weight. The following treatment groups were used: Pb (Pb only), PbVA (Pb+vitamin A), PbVC ((Pb+vitamin C) and PbVE (Pb+vitamin E) with four treatments (T1-T4) and replicates in each case. The specific growth rate (SGR), weight gain (WG) and percentage weight gain (% WG) were calculated from the weight. From the results: The highest SL in the Pb only, PbVA, PbVC and PbVE treatments were 14.90cm, 12.60cm, 12.30cm and 19.40cm, respectively. The highest TL in Pb only, PbVA, PbVC and PbVE, respectively were 17.60cm, 14.10cm, 13.90cm and 22.30cm. The highest weight value in the Pb only, PbVA, PbVC and PbVE were 36.09g, 21.64g, 23.48g and 83.26g, respectively. T1 and T3 had the highest%WG and SGR in comparison to the control in both Pb only and PbVE treatment groups. In the PbVE there was general improvement in weight values in all treatments. The outcome of this research suggests that vitamin E can attenuate the effects of Pb toxicant and out-perform the un-exposed samples; hence, optimized concentration of the vitamin can serve as remedy in heavy Pb intoxication.