Assessment of lead toxicity in red tilapia Oreochromis sp. through hematological parameters

Fish is one of the reliable biomonitoring used to assess the levels of heavy metal pollution in the aquatic environment. Analyzing the biological parameters of fish provides a predictable transformation of the underwater ecosystem and the current state of nursery water. Blood directly or indirectly reacts to changes in the environment, objectively reflects the physiological state and allows predicting the direction of adaptive responses in the body. According to the blood indicators and proper generalization of the blood system, we can estimate the physiological and pathological processes inside the body. This study aimed to estimate the effects of lead on hematological parameters in red tilapia. Fish were investigated for the effects of the lead after one week. Fish blood is taken from the tail vein by suction injection. Hematological parameters were determined by standard methods. The number of WBC is counted indirectly through blood smears stained Giemsa. The result of the study shows when the concentration of lead for infection increase from 0mgL-1 (control) to 0.5mgL-1, 1.0mgL-1 and 1.5mgL-1, there is a decrease in the hematocrit, hemoglobin, RBC and increases of the mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, WBC. RBC and WBC have observed the shape. Blood cells of red tilapia Oriochromis sp. living in a lead polluted environment can be affected and result in many different values of hematological parameters. This is an adaptive reaction of the body in response to harmful factors at the cellular level.