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Life Science Archives (LSA)

ISSN: 2454-1354
Volume 1; Issue - 2; Year 2015; Page: 90 - 95

Research Article
IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTANTS ON THE HISTOPATHOLOGIAL
ALTERATIONS IN THE KIDNEY OF FISH, Lates calcarifer IN UPPANAR
ESTUARY, CUDDALORE
K. Balakrishnan*, P. Ronald Ross, J. Prakash Sahaya Leon and M. Mariappan
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar - 608 002.
Abstract
Histopathological investigations have been recognized as reliable biomarkers of stress in fish, which
may induce considerable damage to the organs. An investigation was carried out in the kidney of Lates
calcarifer inhabiting the Uppanar estuary, Cuddalore, at three different stations with respect to seasons.
Substantially noticeable pathological changes were observed at station II when compared to that of station III
and station I especially during summer season. The findings of this study could be used as a guideline for
biomonitoring the fish populations living in contaminated areas.
Article History
Received: 18.05.2015
Revised : 29.03.2015
Accepted: 02.04.2015

Key words: Lates calcarifer, Kidney,

Histopathology and Biomonitoring.

1. Introduction

The aquatic ecosystem is threatened more

and more by different sources of pollution that
decrease its economic condition and produces
deleterious effects to human health. Among all
types of pollution, aquatic pollution is of greater
concern as each and every kind of life depends on
water. Therefore management of aquatic
environment in particular has become a major
concern in recent years (Deepak Kasherwani et
al., 2009).Water pollution is the serious menace of
urbanization, industrialization and modern
agricultural practices. Rapid industrialization in
India has resulted into a substantial increase in the
liquid wastes, which are traditionally being
discharged into nearby natural water, causing
number of problems to fauna and flora of aquatic
environment (Samanta et al., 2005). Industrial
* Corresponding author: K. Balakrishnan
Tel.: +91-9443830139
E-mail: balazoo.rsh@rediffmail.com

pollutants containing toxic and hazardous

substances, including heavy metals like copper,
cadmium, lead, nickel etc., sulphides, ammonia,
chlorides and other salts, in addition to a large
quantity of organic compounds contribute
tremendously to aquatic ecosystem (Woodling et
al., 2001). Heavy metals are natural trace
components of the aquatic environment, but their
levels have been increased due to domestic,
industrial and agricultural activities. It poses
greatest threat to the health of Indian ecosystem
(Desai et al., 2002).
Histopathological changes have been
widely used as biomarkers in the evaluation of the
health of fish exposed to contaminants, both in the
laboratory and field studies (Vander Oostet al.,
2003). One of the great advantages of using
histopathological biomarkers in environmental
monitoring allows to examine the specific target
organs, including gills, kidney and liver, that are

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K. Balakrishnan/Life Science Archives (LSA), Volume 1, Issue 2, Page 90 to 95, 2015

responsible for vital functions, such as respiration,

excretion
and
the
accumulation
and
biotransformation of xenobiotics in the fish
(Gernhoferet al., 2001). The exposure of fish to
pollutants (agricultural, industrial and sewage)
resulted in several pathological alterations in
different tissues of fish (Abbas and Ali, 2007). In
teleosts, the kidney together with the gills are
responsible for excretion and the maintenance of
the homeostasis of the body fluids and producing
urine, act as an excretory route for the metabolites
of xenobiotics. Since, a large volume of blood
flows through the kidney, lesions found in this
organ can be used as signs of environmental
pollution. The effects of pollutants on fish kidneys
have been studied in some species and the severity
of damage observed depends on the sensitivity of
the species to the substances released into the
environment (Pacheco and Santos, 2002). Lates
calcarifer is commonly available in Cuddalore
coasts and also in Uppanar estuary. It is of high
economic importance and is the most preferred
fish meal by the local people. Keeping in view of
the above facts, the present work has been
initiated the impact of industrial pollutants on the
histopathology of kidney in Lates calcarifer.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study area
The present study was carried out in the
Uppanar estuary, which runs behind the SIPCOT
industrial complex, Cuddalore. Uppanar estuary is
a major fishing ground for many kinds of fishes. It
receives industrial effluents from SIPCOT
industrial complex as well as domestic and
municipal sewages from Cuddalore town. Three
sampling stations were selected to study the
impact of industrial effluents on the
histopathology of kidney in Lates calcarifer. The
station I is 10 km upstream, station II is purely
industrial zone and station III is 2 km away from
station II. For interpretation of results samples
were analyzed in all the three stations in four
seasons viz., post monsoon (January to March),
summer (April to June), pre monsoon (July to
September) and monsoon (October to December).

91

Fig. 1: Location map of study area

2.2. Collection
techniques

of

fish

and

histological

Live Lates calcarifer were collected

from the Uppanar estuary at station I, station II
and station III during all the seasons with the help
of local fisher folks. In the field itself, the fish was
dissected and the kidney was quickly removed and
cut into small pieces (approx. 2-4 mm) and fixed
in 5% formaldehyde solution (pH 7.0). After
fixation, the kidney tissue was dehydrated through
ascending grades of ethanol. Then, it was cleared
in xylene and finally embedded in paraffin wax.
Tissue sections were cut at 6 to 8 m thickness
using a rotary microtome, mounted on clean slides
and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Selected
areas were photographed by using Carlzeiss
photomicroscope III.
3. Result and Discussion
In station I, the kidney showed normal
histoarchitecture in the structure of kidney tubules
and glomeruli during pre monsoon and monsoon
seasons, while during post monsoon and summer
seasons the kidney tubules and glomeruli revealed
slightly altered epithelial cells in the kidney
tubules and glomeruli. The histoarchitecture of
kidney at station II exhibited drastic variations
irrespective of the seasons. The noticed changes
during post monsoon period were degenerated
renal epithelial cells, shrunken glomeruli and
vacuole formation. The recognized changes during
summer period were markedly high and the
noticed variations were swelling of kidney
tubules, shrunken glomeruli, increased interstitial
spaces and tubular necrosis. Similar marked
changes were recognized in the kidney tubules

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K. Balakrishnan/Life Science Archives (LSA), Volume 1, Issue 2, Page 90 to 95, 2015

during pre-monsoon period. While in monsoon

season the kidney tubules revealed very least
alterations. The histoarchitecture of kidney at
station III showed moderate variations in all the
seasons when compared with that of station II and
station I. During post monsoon period the kidney
tubules expressed minor alterations. The
histoarchitectural changes exhibited in the kidney
tubules during summer season were severe
necrosis in the renal tubules, damaged renal
epithelial cells. During pre-monsoon season the
kidney showed shrunken glomeruli and swollen
kidney tubules. While in the monsoon period the
renal tubules did not show significant variations.
Kidney is one of the major organs to
maintain water and ionic balance; moreover renal
tissues receive large volumes of blood flow and
serve as a major route of excretion for metabolites
of various xenobiotics.

92

The teleostean kidney is generally composed of

several renal corpuscles with well developed
glomeruli
and
a
system
of
tubules
(PiyanutPeebuaet al., 2006). Thophanet al. (2003)
stated that kidney is one of the major target organs
exposed to toxic contaminants in the water. The
kidney of the fish receives largest proportion of
postbranchial blood, and therefore renal lesions
might be expected to be good indicators of
environmental pollution (Ortiz et al., 2003). In
the present investigation the kidney of
Latescalcariferfrom the Uppanar estuary exhibited
significant changes in the kidney tubules at station
II when compared with that of station III and
station I because of the stoppage of water flow
which might have resulted in the water body to
become more condensed with heavy metals.
During monsoon period the observed damages
were very feeble in all the stations because the
water would have been more diluted by the heavy
rainfall and water flow in river Uppanar.

Fig-2 (a, b, c, d,e & f): Histopathology of the kidney tissues of L. calcarifer collected from the notified stations (I,
II and III) of Uppanar estuary during post monsoon and summer seasons (40 m). G - Glomerulus; KT- Kidney
tubule; HT- Haemopoietic tissue; SKT- Swellon kidney tubule; V- Vacuolization; SG - Shrunken glomerulus;
TN- Tubular necrosis; DEC- Damaged epithelial cell; IS- Increased interstitial space; GN- Glomerular necrosis;
DRE- Degenerated renal epithelium.
\

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K. Balakrishnan/Life Science Archives (LSA), Volume 1, Issue 2, Page 90 to 95, 2015

93

Fig.3 (g, h, i, j, k & l): Histopathology of the kidney tissues of L. calcarifer collected from the notified stations (I,
II and III) of Uppanar estuary during pre monsoon and monsoon seasons(40 m). G - Glomerulus; KT- Kidney
tubule; HT- Haemopoietic tissue; MMC- Melanomacrophage cell; V- Vacuolization; SG- Shrunken glomerulus;
BC- Bowmans capsule.

The common observed changes were

degeneration of kidney tubules, shrunken
glomeruli, necrosis in the epithelial cells and
elongated kidney tubules. Very similar
observations were made by Thophan et al. (2003)
in Lates calcarifer exposed to cadmium. The
findings of the present investigation in the kidney
of Lates calcarifer agree with Camargo and
Martinez (2007) in a neotropical fish Prochilodus
lineatus in the upper reaches of Cambe stream in
southern Brazil. Studies of Mohamed (2009) in
Tilapia zillii and Solea vulgaris from lake Qarun,
Egypt were also corroborated with the present
study. The study made by Ruqaya et al. (2013) in
the kidney tissues of Schizothor axniger when
exposed to heavy metal contaminants in Dal lake
also supports the present findings. Mohanta et al.
(2010) also observed degeneration of kidney
tubules in Channa punctatus exposed to tannery
effluents. Studies of El- Kasheif et al. (2013) in
Clarias gariepinus inhabiting EL-Rahawy drain,
Egypt also supported the present investigation.
Similar changes were also observed by Abdul
Latiff et al. (2012) in Labeorohita, and Parvathi et
al. (2011) in Cyprinus carpio and Navaraj et al.
(2012) on the effect of tannery effluent on the fish
Oreochromis mossambicus. Athikesavan et al.

(2006)
and
Bhatkar
(2013)
reported
histopathological abnormalities in the kidney of
Hypophthalmi chthysmolitix and Labeorohita
exposed to nickel respectively. Similarly,
degeneration of glomeruli and swollen kidney
tubule in common carp when exposed to nitrate
was noticed by Iqbal et al. (2004).
4. Conclusion
A multi range of toxic effects of industrial
pollutants have been demonstrated in aquatic
animals. The present study augments well that
histopathological biomarkers of toxicity in fish
organs are useful indicators of environmental
pollution. The organ and tissue damage in the
experimental fish were due to the direct toxicity of
industrial pollutants on the kidney, also the results
showed that the degree of damage of the tissues
was proportional to the station and seasonal
changes.
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