Comparative Ecotoxicological Assessment of Acetaminophen and Diclofenac using Freshwater African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822)

The use and abuse of analgesics, commonly referred to as painkillers is on the rise globally. This study examined the acute toxicity and sub-lethal effects on liver function (ALT, AST, ALP) and anti-oxidative stress enzymes of the African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, exposed to two analgesics, acetaminophen and diclofenac. The fingerlings (4 weeks old), were exposed to high concentrations of both analgesics to determine their acute toxicity of a 96 h period. The results indicated that diclofenac was approximately 500 times more toxic to the catfishes with a 96 h LC50 of 2.6 mg/L compared to 1283.6 mg/L in those exposed to acetaminophen. Another batch of the catfishes was subsequently exposed to two sub-lethal concentrations (1/10th 96 h LC50 and 1/100th 96 h LC50) of both compounds for 28 days. The result of the sub-lethal assessment indicated that the responses were not always dose-dependent. The liver function enzyme assessments indicated a varied result with AST values slightly lower than control while ALP values were all higher in the exposed groups than the control. Only catfishes exposed to 1/10th 96h LC50 diclofenac showed significant inhibition (P<0.05) of ALT enzyme activities compared to control. The activities of the anti-oxidative stress enzyme catalase were lower in those exposed to acetaminophen compared to control and this was also the case for glutathione-S- transferase (GST) activities for exposures to both concentrations of both analgesics. The findings point to the need for the inclusion of pharmaceuticals in our national effluent quality standards so as to mitigate potential harm to aquatic life.Keywords: Acetaminophen, diclofenac, toxicity, catfis

Assessment of groundwater contamination by leachate near a municipal solid waste landfill

Physico-chemical and microbiological parameters were analyzed in leachate and groundwater samples obtained at different locations adjacent to a municipal solid waste landfill in order to assess the impact of leachate percolation on groundwater quality. Total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), and Na+ exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) tolerance levels for drinking water in 62.5, 100, and 37.5% of the groundwater samples, respectively with pH and Fe exceeding WHO limits in 75% of the samples. Significant negative correlations of -0.839, -0.590, and -0.590 were shown by Na+, TDS, and EC respectively to distance from landfill. A high population of Enterobacteriaceae ranging from 4.0 × 103 ± 0 to 1.0575 × 106 ± 162,705 CFU/ml was also detected in the groundwater samples, indicating contamination. The results show that the leachate from the landfill has a minimal impact on the groundwater resource and this can be attributed to the existing soil stratigraphy at the site consisting of clay which is deduced to have a significant influence on the natural attenuation of leachate into groundwater.Keywords: Groundwater, correlation, percolation, landfill, leachate, municipal solid waste, natural attenuation, Enterobacteriaceae

Sublethal effects of cadmium, manganese, lead, zinc and iron on the plasma electrolytes regulation of mice, Mus Musculus

The toxicological evaluations of cadmium, iron, manganese, lead and zinc were carried out against albino mice model, Mus musculus. On the basis of 96 hrLC50 value, cadmium (0.47 mM) was found to be the most toxic followed by zinc (2.40 mM), lead (2.42 mM), iron (4.25 mM) and manganese (5.70 mM) was least toxic. This study also evaluated the sublethal effects of cadmium, manganese, lead, zinc and iron in plasma samples utilising plasma electrolyte parameters as a biomarker using an albino mice model, M. musculus. Mice were subjected to sublethal concentrations of the selected heavy metals (1/10th of 96 hrLC50). Blood plasma was collected after 7, 14, 21 and 28 days in long term experiment. Sodium (Na+), potassium (k+), chloride (Cl-) ions bicarbonates (HCO3-), calcium (Ca2+) and phosphates (P043-). Studies on the effect of heavy metals on plasma electrolytes revealed that Pb caused elevated level of sodium (Na+), while Cd induced significant (P < 0.05) increase in potassium (k+) and chloride (Cl-) ions in treated mice groups. In addition, bicarbonates (HCO3-) and phosphates (P043-) levels increasedsignificantly (P < 0.05) in treated mice exposed to Mn and Fe, respectively. The outcome of this study implied that heavy metals have toxic effects and plasma electrolyte is a useful tool for early detection and diagnosis of heavy metals pollution in the mammalian model.Key words: Electrolyte, blood plasma, heavy metals, Mus musculu

Level of Radiofrequency (RF) Radiations from GSM Base Stations and its Biological Effects on Albino Mice, Mus musculus

Levels of radiofrequency radiations around two global systems for mobile communication (GSM) base stations located in the vicinity of a residential quarter and workplace complex were measured. The effects of the radiofrequency radiations on albino mice placed in exposure cages and located around the base stations over a six months period were carried out. The levels of radiofrequency (RF) radiations around the base stations were found to be between 488.51mV/m to 625.49mV/m compared to 59 mV/m in control stations. The results of the weight change experiment showed that over the 180 days of observation, there was weight gain in the exposed and control mice groups. Statistical comparisons of mean weight changes between exposed mice and control mice showed that there were no significant (P>0.05) differences between the weight of the test animals. The hematological studies revealed an elevation of white blood cell (WBC) counts in mice exposed to RF radiations compared to control group. There was however no significant (P>0.05) difference between the red blood cell counts in the exposed and control mice. There was also no significant (P>0.05) difference in the hemoglobin and glucose levels in the blood of both exposed and control mice groups. The red blood cells in exposed mice were however found to contain a higher number of macrocytes, poikilocytes, polychromatic cells and fewer target cells than the control mice. Histological studies of the heart and kidney of exposed mice showed only slight tissues deformities in kidneys of exposed mice compared to control. The relevance of these findings in setting radiofrequency radiation exposure guidelines and the need for more studies with widely varying biological parameters is very necessary as Nigeria leaps further into the communication age

Stimulation of Haemopoetic Activity in Bone Marrow and Deformation of Red Blood Cells in Albino Mice, Mus musculus Exposed to Radiations from GSM Base Stations

The levels of radiofrequency radiations around two global systems for mobile communication (GSM) base stations located around a residential quarter and workplace complex were measured. The effects of the radiofrequency radiations on albino mice placed in exposure cages and located around the base stations over a six months period were investigated. The levels of radiofrequency (RF) radiations around the base stations were found to range between 383 mV/m to 730 mV/m compared to 59 mV/m in control stations. In the exposed mice, a pattern of pancytosis was observed and significant increases were observed in the Packed Cell Volume (PCV), White Cell Count (WBC), Platelet count (PLT) and Red Cell Count (RCC) throughout the period of exposure in both stations when compared with control values. No significant (p>0.05) differences were observed in these values when both stations were compared. After 90 days of exposure, marginal increases occurred in the mean cell volume of exposed mice at station 1 and 2 (53.1±3.6fl Vs 55.9±1.8fl and 57.9±0.25fl respectively), with the mean cell haemoglobin concentration showing significant reduction after 180 days of exposure at station 2 (27.9±2.4g/dl Vs 25.7±0.29g/dl;

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals (Zn, Pb,Cu and Cd) by Tympanotonus fuscatus var. radula (L) exposed to sublethal concentrations in laboratory bioassay

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Biomarkers and weight changes in broiler chicks (Gallus domesticus) exposed to livestock feed containing residues of phostoxin and actellic pesticides

The acute and sublethal toxicity studies of two organophosphate pesticides were carried out against the broiler chicks, Gallus domesticus. On the basis of the computed toxicity factor, phostoxin with a 14 day LC50 values of 0.022 mg/kg was found to be 2 times more toxic than actellic (14 day LC50 of 0.048 mg/kg). The results of the biochemical analysis of the blood samples of the broilers chicks exposed to sublethal doses ofphostoxin and actellic over a 49 day period of exposure revealed that there was a significant (

Establishment of the toxicity ranking order of heavy metals and sensitibity scale of benthic animals inhabiting the Lagos lagoon

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Estimation of pesticide mixture interaction in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using survival analysis

The acute toxicity of the pesticides atrazine, mancozeb, chlorpyrifos and lambda-cyhalothrin, acting singly and jointly, was assessed on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings. Median lethal concentration (LC50), median lethal time (LT50), and mixture interaction were estimated, whereas survival analysis was used to model time-todeath. The most toxic single and joint mixture was lambda-cyhalothrin and chlorpyrifos-lambda cyhalothrin, respectively. The risk of death (RoD) of fingerlings exposed to 9.22 mg l−1 atrazine-mancozeb mixture was 1.76 times higher than fingerlings exposed to 9.0 mg l−1 atrazine (p > 0.05). However, RoD of fingerlings exposed to 9.95 mg l−1 atrazine-chlorpyrifos was 5.59 times higher than fingerlings exposed to 9.0 mg l−1 atrazine (p < 0.01). The risk of death of fingerlings exposed to 20.8 mg l−1 atrazine-lambda cyhalothrin was 2.81 times higher than 21.0 mg l−1 atrazine. The toxicity of 2.3 mg l−1 mancozeb-chlorpyrifos was 254.25 higher than 2.2 mg l−1 mancozeb (p < 0.01). Fingerlings exposed to 4.33 mg l−1 mancozeb-lambda cyhalothrin and 0.177 mg l−1 chlorpyrifos-lambda cyhalothrin mixture were 0.02 and 0.14 times less likely to die than those exposed to 4.8 mg l−1 mancozeb and 0.17 mg l−1 chlorpyrifos, respectively (p < 0.01). Atrazine-mancozeb, atrazine-chlorpyrifos, atrazine-lambda cyhalothrin, and mancozeb-chlorpyrifos interaction were synergistic, and their relative risk was >1. Both mancozeb-lambda cyhalothrin and lambda-cyhalothrin-chlorpyrifos mixtures were antagonistic, and their relative risk was less than 1. Survival analysis can show interaction in complex pesticide mixtures

Trend of heavy metal concentrations in Lagos lagoon ecosystem, Nigeria

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