Assessment of impact of sub-lethal dose of mustard oil cake on haematological biomarkers in Indian air-breathing fish, Channa gachua (hamilton)

Impact of short-term exposure of mustard oil cake to certain haematological biomarkers in Indian air-breathing fish, Channa gachua was assessed. First of all, By the Probit analysis method, the LC50 dose of mustard oil cake was calculated 4965–5165 mg ^^respectively with an average of 5065 mg l⁻¹. The range of LC50 dose indicates the slightly toxic or practically non-toxic nature of mustard oil cake. The fish were then exposed to 50.65 and 253.25 mg l⁻¹sub lethal dose of mustard oil cake for 24, 48 and 96 hours exposure and the alterations in activities of haematological biomarkers were determined. The TEC, Hb and PCV exhibited a significant decrease in treated fish while leucocytes and thrombocytes count got increased significantly (p<0.05) to 50.65 and 253.25 mg l⁻¹dose of mustard oil cake at all the treatments. The levels of MCV increased but MCHC lowered significantly (p<0.05) to above doses of mustard oil cake at all the treatments as compared with untreated fish. However, MCH decreased in 50.65 mg l⁻¹ but increased in 253.25 mg l⁻¹of mustard oil cake. The percentage of eosinophils and neutrophils also declined while basophils, monocytes and lymphocytes elevated significantly (p<0.5) in treated fish. These findings may be used in the assessment of the potential risk of mustard oil cake on food chains and aquatic ecosystems.