Chromium (VI) induced acute toxicity and genotoxicity in freshwater stinging catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis

Acute toxicity and genotoxicity of Chromium(VI) as K2Cr2O7 were evaluated in freshwater stinging catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis. Fish showed behavioral alterations after K2Cr2O7 exposure and 96h-LC50 was 35.724mg/L in semi-static bioassay. Fish were exposed to three sub-lethal concentrations (concentration I=1/4th of 96h-LC50, concentration II=1/10th of 96h-LC50 and concentration III=environmental concentration of Cr reported in the river Buriganga). Blood, liver and gill samples were collected after 48h, 96h and 192h. Micronucleus (MN) assay was conducted in blood erythrocytes and DNA damage was evaluated by comet assay in whole blood, gill and liver tissues. Cr(VI) significantly (p<0.05) induced MN frequency and tail DNA (percent) which increased in a concentration depended manner in all types of tissues. Frequency of MN and tail DNA (percent)…