Use of activated charcoal as a protective agent against toxicity of nickel and malathion contamination for common carp; cyprinus carpio

الملخص EN

Activated carbon adsorption has been recommended as one of the best available technologies in removal of organic pollutants, the present work was undertaken to find out to what extent activated charcoal could remove nickel or malathion insecticide from water environment and counteract the disorders in some physiological and biochemical functions which in turn affect the survival and growth of Common carp; Cyprinus carpio during exposure to the nickel in nickel chloride or malathion insecticide for 90 days.

The 96 hour half lethal concentration (96 hr LC50) of nickel chloride or malathion insecticide was 5.6 or 1.6 ppm, respectively for the Common carp; carpio without adding activated charcoal.

Addition of activated charcoal (2.5 or 5 ppm) increased the 96 hr LC50 of nickel to 8.8 ppm and that of malathion to 2.8 ppm.

During determination of the 96-hr LC50, fish exhibited erratic swimming movements.

The mucus secretion appeared to increase and accumulated on the gills and fish exhibited a respiratory disorder with surfaced swimming, openning their mouth with rapid and frequent exhalation.

The survival, weight gain, specific growth rate and hepato-somatic index were significantly affected by nickel or malathion concentration.

However, the adding of charcoal ameliorates these parameters.

Moreover, the physiological and biochemical assayes were evaluated for the studied fish after 90 days under the same treatments.

The RBCs counts, Hb and PCV values were significantly decreased by nickel or malathion exposure.

However, Hb and PCV were slightly enhanced by adding the charcoal.

The serum glucose, total serum protein and liver glycogen were decreased by nickel or malathion exposure while, levels of total serum lipids were increased and activated charcoal slightly enhanced these parameters.

Also, serum AST, ALT, uric acid and creatinine were enhanced by adding the charcoal.

From this study, it is recommended to avoid nickel or malathion in water cultured with common carp.

Further, it is recommended to use activated charcoal (2.5 mg/l) to reduce or even remove nickel or malathion from the water body.