Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Damaging Potential of Ceramic Industry Effluents on the Hepatic and Branchial Tissues of Clarias gariepinus

Aquatic ecosystems and the health of aquatic organisms may be significantly threatened by environmental contamination brought on by industrial activities. Consequently, the objective of this paper was to assess the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) - Damaging Potential of ceramic Industry Effluents on the Hepatic and Branchial Tissues of Clarias gariepinus using appropriate standard methods. In this study, the freshwater catfish Clarias gariepinus, commonly found in freshwater, was used to examine the genotoxic effects of effluents emitted from a ceramic manufacturing company on its liver and gills. Effluents from a ceramic manufacturing company often contain various chemical pollutants, including heavy metals, which have the potential to cause genotoxicity in aquatic organisms. In this study, Clarias gariepinus were subjected to a 96-hour acute toxicity test in which they were exposed to various effluent concentrations. It was observed during exposure that the fish placed in the media, devoid of ceramic effluents (Control), survived the 96-hour exposure period (100%) and exhibited normal fish behavior, while in the other concentrations, restless behavior, erratic movements, and gulping for air were observed with increasing concentrations. Genotoxicity assessment was performed using the comet assay to detect possible genetic damage in the liver and gills of exposed Clarias gariepinus. During the course of analysis, 0.001 was calculated as the standard mean value. The P-value indicated the level of damage done between the concentrations. The results indicated that exposure to ceramic effluent had a highly significant (p≤0.01) genotoxic effect on the liver and gills of Clarias gariepinus.