Haematological Response of Clarias gariepinus to Rubber Processing Effluent

Industrialization has led to huge waste generation over the last decades, the absence of adequate facilities for treating such wastes in most developing nations has led to the discharge of effluents into the environment without proper treatment. Toxicological effects of effluents from rubber processing plant (collected during the period of low rivertide i.e. between October 2012 and February 2013) were carried out in this study. Lethal concentration (96-h LC50) was evaluated using 0.25mg/L, 0.30mg/L, 0.35mg/L and 0.40mg/L while sub-lethal effects (42 days) was carried out on haematological parameters like Red Blood Cell (RBC), White Blood Cell (WBC), Haemoglobin (Hb), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) using 0.064mg/L, 0.048mg/L, 0.032mg/L and 0.016mg/L which are the 20%, 15%, 10% and 5% of the 96-h LC50 value. Mortality increased as the concentrations of the effluent increases and 0.32mg/L was obtained as LC50. In comparison with the control, the mean value obtained for PCV, HB and RBC showed significant differences (P<0.05) most especially at highest concentration while there was no significant difference in all values obtained for WBC, MCV, MCH and MCHC. It was concluded that the rubber processing effluent had some negative effect on the haematology of Clarias gariepinus. Therefore, it is recommended that the effluent should be properly treated before discharge into the environment.