TP15 Endocrine Disruption in Fish
Tuesday, 15 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM in Exhibit Hall

(BAR-1126-027223) LOW DOSES OF 4 TERT-BUTYLPHENOL CAUSES ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION AND METABOLIC CHANGES IN CYPRINUS CARPIO.

Barse, A^{1, 2}, Chakrabarti, T¹, Ghosh, T¹, Pal, A², Jadhao, S², ¹ National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur 440001, India² Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Mumbai 400061, India

ABSTRACT- Alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEs) are widely used as non-ionic surfactants and anti-oxidants in detergents, pesticides, herbicides, paints, cosmetics and plasticwares. Of the annual worldwide production (500,000 MT in 1997) of APEs, 60% ends up in water bodies. APEs undergo biodegradation to form octyl-, butyl-, and nonyl-Phenols. This experiment evaluated effects of 4- tert-butylphenol (TBP) in Cyprinus carpio, a projected candidate species in sewage fed fisheries. LC50 of TBP was found to be 6.9 ppm. Fishes were treated with 1/10th, 1/5th and 1/3rd dose of LC50. Whereas there was significant (P< 0.01) decrease in muscle alkaline phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase activity; alanine aminotranferase and acid phosphatase (except decrease at 1/10th dose of LC₅₀) activity, vitellogenin production, hepatic- and reno-somatic indices were increased in treated fish compared to control. With all the dose levels tested, gonadosomatic index (testis size) was reduced (P<0.01) and histo- architectural changes in testicular tissue were found in group given 1/3rd dose of LC₅₀.

Key words: Alkylphenol