Atrazine-Mediated Oxidative Stress Responses and Lipid Peroxidation in the Tissues of Clarias gariepinus

Background: Fish have been at high risk of atrazine toxicity. Comparative atrazine toxicity on the tissues of Clarias gariepinus is scanty. Therefore, acute and chronic effects of atrazine on some biochemical parameters in Clarias gariepinus were investigated in this study. Methods: Atrazine toxicity was determined by assessing the responses of glucose, protein, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), acetylcholinestarase (AChE) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in blood, gill and liver of fish exposed to both acute (0.00, 28.00, 30.00, 32.00 and 34.00 &micro;g/l) and chronic (0.00, 7.00, 7.50, 8.00 and 8.50 &micro;g/l) concentrations for 96 h and 28 d, respectively. Results: In acute exposure, glucose and MDA levels showed significant (P<0.05) variations in all tissues. Protein and LDH decreased in all tissues except the latter slightly increased at 32.00&micro;g/l in blood and liver compared to control. ALT and AChE were induced in blood but inhibited in gill and liver. SOD significantly decreased in blood but increased in gill and liver. AST was activated in blood and liver but reduced in gill. In chronic exposure, glucose, protein, SOD and AChE were inhibited in all tissues, while MDA level was induced. ALT, AST, and LDH activities were induced in blood but inhibited in gill and liver except 22.90% induction noted in liver at 8.00 &micro;g/l atrazine. Conclusion: Exposure to varying concentrations of atrazine induced enzymatic/metabolic alterations in C. gariepinus. These alterations can be used as biomarkers of atrazine toxicity in fish.