Comparative effects of crude oil on juveniles Clarias gariepinus and Clarias anguillaris

摘要

This study was based on biochemical assessment of the effect of crude oil spillage on marine life. Hence, life sustaining indices such as pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and free CO2?were analyzed in aquaria. However, a 96 h static acute toxicity test was also investigated on the juveniles?Clarias gariepinus?(African catfish) and?Clarias anguillaris(mudfish) on exposure to different concentrations of crude oil polluted water. Over the period of the experiment there was an overall decrease in pH of the test vessel from 8.64 ± 0.03 to 5.50 ± 0.08. Decrease trend was also found in dissolved oxygen from 6.28 ± 0.07 to 3.01 ± 0.06 and free CO2?levels from 8.35 ± 0.55 to 11.25 ± 0.17. However as the concentration of crude oil increases the haematological parameters such as red blood cell (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV), and white blood cell (WBC) reduced significantly (p ≤ 0.05) in both fish species.?After 96 h, probit analysis showed the LC50?of crude oil for?C. anguillaris?to be 1.22 mg/L while that of?C. garieinus?was 2.19 mg/L. Overall, less insults was observed from the crude oil on?C. gariepinuscompare to?C. anguillaris?that tend to elicit a low tolerance to the crude oil.