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The effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of aldrin and methoxychlor on the testes and sperm of male Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) after short-term exposure

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Abstract

The organochlorine pesticides aldrin (0.14 μg/L) and methoxychlor (0.23 μg/L) were both present in the Albasini Dam, Limpopo Province, South Africa, during a field survey in 2014. The use of aldrin has been banned in the USA since 1987 and restricted in South Africa since 1992. The use of methoxychlor, however, remains undefined with little information available about its registration in South Africa despite being banned in Europe (2002) and USA (2003). The aim of this study was to determine the potential effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of aldrin and methoxychlor on the reproductive system of male catfish, Clarias gariepinus. Males were exposed for 96 h to the two pesticides under controlled laboratory conditions. Following exposure, each fish was weighed and measured, and a necropsy performed to determine any macroscopic abnormalities and the general health of the fish. The fish were killed and dissected and the testes removed, weighed and measured to determine the gonadosomatic index (GSI). The right testis of each fish was sectioned for histopathological assessment and to calculate the testes index (IT). The left testis was used for computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). The histopathological assessment of the testes showed histopathological changes such as of melano-macrophage centres (MMCs) and vacuolation of spermatogonia and spermatocytes. However, the classification of these changes indicated that the testes tissue structure was normal with slight histological changes. No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were found in the CASA parameters between exposure groups. The results of this study showed that the environmentally relevant concentrations of aldrin and methoxychlor did not have a negative effect on the motility of the mature sperm, but adverse effects were noted in the early stages of spermatogenesis, indicating possible effects over longer exposure periods.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the following institutions for the financial and logistic support: National Research Foundation of South Africa (Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers, UIDs:86056), Scarce Skills Bursary funds, grant no. 89871, Department of Germplasm, Conservation and Reproduction Biotechnologies - Agricultural Research Council, Irene for assistance with the sperm analysis and Ms. J van Staden from STATKON at the University of Johannesburg for her assistance with the statistical analysis of the data.

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  1. Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa

    J. Das Neves & G. M. Wagenaar

  2. Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa

    I. E. J. Barnhoorn

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  1. J. Das Neves
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Correspondence to G. M. Wagenaar.

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Das Neves, J., Barnhoorn, I.E.J. & Wagenaar, G.M. The effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of aldrin and methoxychlor on the testes and sperm of male Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) after short-term exposure. Fish Physiol Biochem 44, 1421–1434 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-018-0474-4

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