TITLE:
Gill Histopathological Effects of PAHs on Adult Pearl Oyster, Pinctada radiata at Al-Khiran Coast in Kuwait
AUTHORS:
Mona A. Al-Hashem
KEYWORDS:
Gills, Histopathology, PAHs, Oysters, Pinctada radiata, Kuwait
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.8 No.2,
February
10,
2017
ABSTRACT: The hazardous effect of water pollution on the
histopathology of gill organ of the pearl oyster, Pinctada radiata was
studied with respect to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination in
Al-Khiran coast at Kuwait. Thirty oyster samples from each site, site one where
dead oysters were located, site two which is two kilometers away from site one
and the control site which is ten kilometers away from site one were collected
from Al-Khiran area where a massive number of dead oysters were reported. The
gills of oysters were immediately removed and transferred to Bouin’s solution
for fixation and then processed for sectioning, staining and mounting and gill
tissues were ready for examination. Histopathological changes in gills of
oysters exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in site one and site two
included necrosis and edemas of branchial lamellae, complete degeneration of
gill filaments, loss of regular shape and haemolysis, and inflammation. Gill
tissues of oysters from the control site had normal appearance. The study
showed a clear evidence that PAHs caused severe histopathological changes in
gills of pearl oyster Pinctada radiata.