Abstract: |
Recently, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) established a prospective value in aquaculture; however, extensive use
afflicts fish and environment. Therefore, the current study represents a premier report to investigate the acute
exposure of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (B.) to AgNPs and the ethological alterations in a static renewal
system. Additionally, AgNPs impact on blood profile, stress, brain activity, and branchial oxidative stress parameters
were evaluated. Fish (50.71 ± 3.85 g) were exposed to different concentrations (0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50,
and 100 mg L 1) of AgNPs for 96-h without water exchange. Finney’s probit analysis was used to estimate the 96-
h LC50 value of AgNPs which recorded 21.38 mg L 1. In comparison to the control, the AgNPs exposed fish
exhibited different ethological responses such as surfacing for gasping air, restlessness, slow swimming movement,
aggressiveness, and nervousness and the scores of these behaviors and mortalities reached the high values
with increasing AgNPs concentrations. There were marked reductions in hematological indices (RBCs, Hb, Hct,
and WBCs), acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity, and oxidative stress indices (superoxide dismutase (SOD),
catalase (CAT), and reduced glutathione content (GSH)) of exposed groups in an AgNPs dose-dependent manner
relative to the control group. On the contrary, the levels of stress-mediated indices (glucose and cortisol) and 8
hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine (8OH2dG) were markedly decreased in all AgNPs exposed groups as compared with
the control group and the reduction increased with increasing the exposure concentration. We concluded that
AgNPs exposure of C. gariepinus induced marked alterations in behavior, blood profile, neurological, and branchial
antioxidant parameters, and the 96-h LC50 of AgNPs was 21.38 mg L 1 and this provides a basis for future
applying AgNPs as a safe therapeutic agent after considering the acute toxicity.
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