EFFECT OF DOMESTIC EFFLUENT, AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION ON AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRA TES WITH EMPHASIS ON CHIRONOMIDAE (DIPTERA) AT COMMUNITY, INDIVIDUAL AND MOLECULAR LEVELS
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Date
2011-02
Authors
AL-SHAMI, SALMAN ABDO ALI
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Abstract
Abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates as well as physico-chemical
parameters of the water were investigated in five rivers of the Juru River Basin in
northern Peninsula Malaysia; Ceruk Tok Kun River (CTKR), Pasir River (PR),
Permatang Rawa River (PRR), Kilang Ubi River (KUR), and Juru River (JR). A total
of 23 macro invertebrate genera and nine chironomid species including Chironomus
kiiensis, C. javanus, Polypedilum trigonus, Microchironomus sp., Dicrotendipes sp.,
Tanytarsus formosanus, Clinotanypus sp., Tanypus punctipennis and Fittkauimyia
.sp. were identified. ExceptJor C. javanus~ the. abundallce of chironomid species
differed significantly among the rivers (Kruskal Wallis Test, P<O.05). Following the
water quality index (WQI), CTKR, PR and JR were classified as Class III (slightly
polluted rivers) while PRR and KUR fell in the Class IV (polluted) rivers.
The CCA model separated macroinvertebrates into assemblages of slightly
polluted (CTKR), moderately polluted (JR) and polluted (PRR, PR and KUR) rivers.
The 19 physico-chemical parameters considered in the model explained 62% of the
total variance explained (TVE). The CCA biplot showed that the chironomids,
Dicrotendipes sp. and Microchironomus sp., preferred environmental conditions with
relatively moderate to high water temperature, Total Organic Matter (TOM), Total
Suspended Solid (TSS), pH and sulphate. Together with C. kiiensis and C. javanus,
these species were relatively tolerant to concentrations of Zn and Cu. Tanytarsus
formosanus was sensitive to changes in dissolved oxygen concentration. However, C.
kiiensis, C. javanus, P. trigonus and Tp. punctipennis were negatively influenced by
the oxygen content in the water implying their tolerance to low oxygen levels. In
addition C. kiiensis and C. javanus, showed high tolerance to elevated concentrations
of several pollution indicators such as TOM, TSS, BOD, ammonia-N and nitrate-No
In contrast, T formosanus was very sensitive to these factors.
The negative effect of river physico-chemical parameters and pollutants in
the waters and sediments on Chironomus spp. larvae was studied on the
morphological deformities in parts of the head capsule (mentum, antenna, mandible
and epipharyngis). The highest mean deformity was recorded in KUR (47.17%)
followed by PRR (33.71%) and PR (30.34%). The total deformity incidence
illustrated by the RDA model, was strongly correlated with high contents of sediment
Mn and Ni. The mentum and epipharyngis deformity incidences were highly
correlated with increase in TSS, total aluminum, and ammonium-N, and decreases in
pH and DO. The mentum deformity incidences was utilized to develop a modified
toxic score index (MTSI) based on Lenat's toxic score index (TSI) showed stronger
relationship to total deformity incidence (DI).
Developmental instability in Chironomus spp. based on the presence of
fluctuating asymmetry (FA) was assessed on larvae collected from PPR. The FA
indices were measured for three selected traits; width of the mentum, the length of
the first and the second antennal segments. Monthly measurements of these traits
confirmed the occurence of FA. The ordination model RDA showed that dissolved
oxygen and water quality in the river expressed as WQI negatively influenced all FA
indices (FA, AbsF A and CFA) of the width of the larval mentum and the length of
antenna I segments one and two.
Genotoxicity of sub-lethal concentrations of cadmium (0.1, 1, and 10 rug/I),
copper (0.2, 2, and 20 rng/l) and zinc (0.5, 5, and 50 rug/I) on C. kiiensis larvae was
examined after 24 h exposure, using the alkaline comet assay electrophoresis. The
highest concentration of Cd had caused higher DNA damage to C. kiiensis larvae
compared to Cu and Zn. The effect of pollutants in sediments was inspected by
exposing C. kiiensis larvae to sediments from SR, PRR and KUR for 6, 12,24 and 48
h. Pollution level indexed by the amounts of physico-chemical parameters and
pollutants in the water and sediment showed progressive increase from SR to PRR to
KUR. Most of C. kiiensis larvae did not survive following long periods of exposure
to highly polluted sediments (PRR to KUR). DNA analyses revealed greater damage
in cells derived from larvae maintained in polluted sediments, particularly that of
KUR. The effects on the genomic material of C. kiiensis larvae increased with
increase in exposure time.
Description
Keywords
EFFECT OF DOMESTIC EFFLUENT , INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION