EVALUATION OF THE AMELIORATIVE ROLES OF VITAMINS A, C AND E ON HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMTERS OF CLARIAS GARIEPINUS (BURCHELL, 1822) FINGERLINGS EXPOSED TO LEAD NITRATE

Abstract

The ever-increasing anthropogenic activities all over the world that usually lead to release of plethora of pollutants such as lead calls for concern. In the present study the effects of lead nitrate on the haematology of Clarias gariepinus and how such effects can be mitigated through administration of vitamins were investigated. C. gariepinus fingerlings (initial weight, 3-11g; standard length,7.9-9.4cm and total length, 8.9-10.9cm) were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of Pb (00, 26mg/L, 44mg/L, 61mg/L and 79mg/L) with replicate in each case. 26mg/L each of the vitamins was administered across all bud. Fresh concentrations of both toxicant and vitamins were administered every 72 hours for a period of 12 weeks every time the water medium was changed according to standard methods. The various treatments group include Pb (Pb only), PbVA (Pb+vitamin A), PbVC ((Pb+vitamin C) and PbVE (Pb+vitamin E) with T1-T4 and replicates in each case. Three samples of the fish were randomly selected and sacrificed from each aquarium tank every 4th week of the exposure period. The blood collected were analyzed for White Blood Cell count (WBC), Red Blood Cells (RBC), Haemoglobin Concentration (HGB), Pack Cell Volume (PCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) and Platelet Count (PLT). The data generated were subjected to one-way analysis of variance at P≤0.05. The results indicated that in the Pb only group the mean values of WBC in T1 and T4 were significantly higher than other treatments. RBC mean values in T3 were significantly higher than other treatments. Hb, PCV and MCHC mean values in the control were significantly higher than other treatments. MCV and MCH mean values in T2 were significantly higher than other treatments. All the mean values of PLT were significantly higher than other treatments except the control. After the 8th week, the mean values of WBC in T2 were significantly higher than other treatments. The RBC, Hb, PCV, MCHC and PLT mean values in the control were significantly higher than other treatments. At the end of the 12th week, the mean values of WBC in T4 were significantly higher than other treatments. The PbVA treatments after 4 weeks of exposure indicated increased production values of WBC and PLT in all treatments. After the 4th week of exposure, the mean values of WBC in T3 were significantly higher than other treatments. The MCV and MCH mean values in T3 and T2, respectively were significantly higher than other treatments. Mean values of PLT in T4 were significantly higher than other treatments. After the 8th week of exposure, mean values of WBC in T4 were significantly higher than other treatments. The PLT mean values in T2 were significantly higher than other treatments. After the 12th week, the RBC, Hb and PCV mean values in T4 were significantly higher than other treatments. The PLT mean values in T4 were also significantly higher than other treatments. In sample subjected to PbVC after 4 weeks of exposure, the WBC mean values in T1 were significantly higher than other treatments. The RBC mean values in T3 were significantly higher than other treatments. The mean values of MCV and MCH in T2 were significantly higher than other treatments. The MCHC mean values in T1 were significantly higher than other treatments. After the 8 th week of exposure, the mean values of RBC in T1 were significantly higher than other treatments. At the end of the 12th week of exposure, only the T2 mean values in all the parameters and treatments were significantly lower than other treatments. In samples exposed to PbVE treatments after four weeks, displayed higher values of WBC. MCV, MCH and MCHC values recorded in T2 were higher than other treatments. After the 4th week of exposure, the MCV mean values in T2 were significantly higher than other treatments. The mean values of PLT in other treatments were significantly higher than T1. There were no significance differences in all parameters after the 8th week of exposure. At the end of the 12th week of exposure however, the mean values of WBC in T4 were significantly higher than other treatments. The MCHC mean values in T1 were significantly higher than other treatments. The vitamins supplemented treatments displayed varying levels of ameliorations far better than the Pb only group. Amongst these, the PbVE performed better than others. The out-come of this research demonstrated the impact of vitamins A, C and E in ameliorating the effects of the toxicant and can serve as remedy in heavy metal toxication when appropriate concentrations are administered