Ultrastructure biomarker in Anisops sardeus (Heteroptera Notonectidae) for the assessment and monitoring of Water Quality of Al-Mahmoudia Canal,Western Part of Nile Delta, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21511, Egypt

Abstract

Ultrastructure biomarker reflects the effects of pollutants. The present study amid to evaluate the reproductive changes of the aquatic hemipteran insect Anisops sardeus (as a bioindicator organism), inhabiting three sites in Al-Mahmoudia canal (Abou-Hommous, Zarcon town, Manshia) which varied in physical and chemical properties. Mahmoudia canal is considered the main water source for Alexandria, which receives water from the Rosetta branch at Mahmoudia city. The canal receives domestic and agricultural wastes from Zarcon Drain and other non-point sources. The present work is concerned with monitoring bioaccumulation of metal in the testes of A. sardeus using SEM-X-ray microanalysis and illustrating spermatogenesis disruptions. Insects caught from polluted sites (Zarcon town, Manshia) showed a higher proportion of heavy metals in particular Cu, Zn and Hg than in the less polluted site (Abou-Hommous). Many alterations of the general architecture of the testis were pronounced. Disruption and damage for the normal cellular organization were observed. In epithelial cells, aggregated clumps of heterochromatin, irregular nuclear envelope, cytoplasm with disorganized mitochondria, and convolution of the follicular wall were noticed. In spermatogonia, the nucleus appeared with the disintegrated nucleolus, vacuolated cytoplasm, and degenerative changes in the mitochondria. According to the obtained results, the water quality of Al-Mahmoudia canal was lower at the polluted sites and the watercourse from south to north direction has been increased in pollution sources. The results also showed that the intensity of the histopathological changes increased with increasing the intensity of heavy metals. As a biomarker of exposure to toxicants, histopathology represents a useful tool to assess the degree of pollution

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