Abstract

The present study was conducted to examine the contamination of rivulet situated at Kasimpur, Aligarh (27.218° N; 79.378° E). It receives the wastewater of Harduaganj Thermal Power Plant (HTPS) containing fly ash and heavy metals. Among the heavy metals estimated in the rivulet water, Fe (8.71 mg L^-1) was present in the highest concentration followed by Cu (0.86 mg L^-1), Zn (0.30 mg L^-1), Mn (0.21 mg L^-1), Ni (0.12 mg L^-1), Co (0.11 mg L^-1) and Cr (0.10 mg L^-1). The values for the heavy metals such as Fe, Ni and Mn were beyond the limits set by UNEPGEMS. Channa punctatus inhabiting the rivulet, bioaccumulate these heavy metals in tissues such as gills, liver, kidney, muscle and integument. Accumulation of Fe (140.2 to 1533.08 mg kg^-1.dw) was highest in all the organs. The accumulation of Fe, Zn, and Mn, observed in the tissues were above the values recommended by FAO/WHO. Abnormalities in hematological parameters of exposed C. punctatus were also observed. The total RBC count (-51.39%) showed decline over control. Therefore, fall in Hb (-36.98%) and oxygen carrying capacity (37.00%) was also observed over control. On the contrary, the total WBC count (+25.43%) increased over control.

Key words: Channa punctatus, effluents, heavy metals, bioaccumulation, hematology.