Histopathological changes in the gill architecture of Labeo rohita from the pond adjacent to thermal power station, Koradi, Nagpur, India

The hazardous effect of water pollution on the histopathology of selected organs of the freshwater fish Labeo rohita was studied with respect to thermal power plant effluent. The purpose of this research paper is to study whether the thermal plume can affect fish assemblages in the waters around the outlet area of the thermal power plant located at Koradi near Nagpur city. Both experimental and control fishes were monitored for a year from March 2010 to Feb. 2011. Histopathology serve as a tool to assess the extent of damage caused to the organism.Gill tissue showed fusion of primary lamellae, congestion of blood vessels and hyperplasia of bronchial plates. The histopathological changes in the gill tissue include epithelial hyperplasia, curling of secondary lamellae and changes in chloride cells. Besides these changes pyknotic nuclei, vacuolization, degradation of epithelial and pillar cells, were noticed, which point out towards deleterious effect of thermal power plant effluent on the freshwater fish L. rohita.