ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Stress Induced Biochemical Changes in the Liver of Oreochromis mossambicus Exposed to Pulp and Papermill Effluent

The stress induced effect of pulp and papermill effluent in the fish, Oreochromis mossambicus was investigated in the present study. Pulp and papermill effluent discharged from Hindustan News Print LTD, Peruva, Kottayam (Dist), Kerala was collected from the discharging point and used for the study.

The adult Oreochromis mossambicus of size 15 ± 2 g were exposed to a sublethal concentrations (1/5th and 1/10th LC50 value) of the effluent for a period of 10, 20 and 30 days. biochemical parameters in the liver such as carbohydrate, protein, lipid and enzymes were analysed. Energy yielding nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids were decreased tremendously for the study as the concentration and duration of the effluent exposure increased. Increased activity of enzymes such as GOT, GPT and LDH showed that the fish was under stress when exposed to pulp and papermill effluent. Fish exposed to papermill effluent showed reduced activity of ACP and ALP as the duration of exposure and concentration increased.