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ABSTRACT
Aquatic systems are contaminated with a wide range of chemicals from various anthropogenic sources. Some of these chemicals have recently been demonstrated to have the potential to disturb the endocrine system- modifying the reproductive system, affecting gamete development and viability. These chemicals, known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), have also been implicated in the decline of natural populations, especially fish populations, as fishes have been shown to be the primary risk organisms of EDCs pollution. Regrettably however, only very little is known about the presence and effects of EDCs in developing countries, including Nigeria. This study was therefore carried out to determine the effects of EDCs on Clarias gariepinus in Ovia River, Edo State, Nigeria. A total of 17 sexually mature female C. gariepinus was collected for four months (June- September, 2019) from Ovia River (two stations). Ovaries were collected from the samples for endocrine-related histopathological analysis. The results revealed 76.47% EDC-induced histopathological conditions, including follicular atresia (17.65%), vitellogenic oocyte atresia (23.53%), ovotestis (11.76%) and nucleoplasmic retraction (23.53%). This is the first report on the effects of EDCs on fishes in Ovia River, Edo State. It was therefore concluded that further studies for at least the identification of the EDCs responsible for the various histopathological conditions observed in the ovarian tissues in C. gariepinus in this study are required.
