CHANGES IN METABOLITES IN THE PLASMA OF BLACK JAW TILAPIA (Sarotherodon melanotheron ) EXPOSED TO DIMETHOATE IN THE LABORATORY

Abstract

This study evaluated the metabolic activities  in Black Jaw Tilapia (Sarotherodon melanotheron) exposed to dimethoate at varied concentrations of 0.00 (control), 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 mg/L in order to determine the amount of metabolic alterations in fish exposed to chemical in aquatic environment. Six water quality indicators were measured during the trial: temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrite, and ammonia. A total of 180 of S.melanotheron, with 60 in each of the three categories of fish sizes used in the study: Group 1 consisted of juveniles with a mean length of 12.45cm±1.98SD and a mean weight of 66.23g±3.04SD; Group 2 consisted of sub-adults with a mean length of 15.22cm±3.03SD and a mean weight of 100.34g±11.00SD); and Group 3 consisted of adults with a mean length of 19.04cm±6.09SD and a mean weight of 142.05g±12.54SD.  After the experiment, blood samples from the fish were taken, and metabolite profiles were examined in them using normal laboratory techniques. The results of the study demonstrated that urea levels were significantly greater (P<0.05) in the exposed fish compared to control values, although creatinine, total bilirubin, and total protein values were significantly lower (P<0.05) in the exposed fish. In contrast, the young fish that had been exposed to the toxin showed higher signs of these changes. In the future, comparative studies of metabolic stress in aquatic biota from contaminated coastal habitats and efficient bio-monitoring of the aquatic biota may benefit from the baseline data that this work offers.

Keywords:  Metabolites, Dimethoate, Contaminants, Tilapia, Toxicology.