Impacts of Benzyl Butyl Phthalate on Histo-Architecture of Gonads of African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

The presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in various environments indicates a serious problem due to their persistent nature and their varied toxic effects to the different organisms. Phthalates are a class of EDCs that include industrial chemicals with a wide range of toxicological properties. Due to varied use of phthalates and its leaching property, it ultimately concentrates into the water bodies for high health risk. So, the present study was designed to elucidate the effect of Benzyl Butyl Phthalate (BBP) on the gonads of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. The fishes were exposed to the BBP at low (2 mg/L) and high (6 mg/L) doses for 5 and 10 days for both the concentration. Significant exposuredependent alterations were observed in the histological structure of gonads of both male and female. The ovaries showed severe disruption of the ovarian follicles, disintegrated nucleus, nucleolar vacuolization, disorganize nucleolar ring, fused and disintegrated oocytes. In the case of testes, it showed vacuolization in the seminiferous tubules, empty and disintegrated seminiferous tubules, degeneration of germ cells, and hypertrophy of Sertoli cells. Thus, such histological changes of the gonads due to BBP may impair the normal reproductive function in both male and female C. gariepinus.

Automated summary

This study investigates the effects of Benzyl Butyl Phthalate (BBP) on the gonads of African catfish, revealing significant exposure-dependent alterations in the histological structure of both male and female reproductive organs. The findings suggest that BBP may impair the normal reproductive function in C. gariepinus.