title: Evaluation of pollution of Ganga River water using fish as bioindicator.
abstract: Ganga River, life line of millions of people got heavily polluted due to uncontrolled anthropogenic activities. To monitor the effect of pollution of the river on its aquatic life, a field study was conducted by analyzing the different biomarker enzymes and biochemical parameters in the various tissues (muscles, liver, gills, kidney, brain, and skin) of the Indian major carp Labeo rohita collected from the River Ganga from different study sites of Varanasi district. Activities of antioxidant enzymes, e.g., superoxide dismutase, catalase, and level of lipid peroxidation were found to be higher in the fish collected from the river showing pollutant-induced oxidative stress in the fish. Disturbed health status of the river fish was also manifested by increased activities of aspartate amino transferase, alanine amino transferase, and alkaline phosphatase. Concentration of nutritionally important biomolecules (proteins, lipids, and moisture) and energy value were also found to be significantly lower in the tissues of the River fish indicating its decreased nutritional value due to oxidative stress caused by different pollutants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, 221005, India.
authors.forename: Huma
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vaseem
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, 221005, India. tkbzool50@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Banerjee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005880:Gills / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D007194:India; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Biochemical parameter; Contamination; Ganga River; Labeo rohita; Oxidative stress