ABSTRACT
Unsanitary open dumping and burning of wastes in dumpsites results to constant leaching of waste pollutants into the surrounding environment with attendant harmful consequences on wildlife and public health. Here, we investigated the histological effects of Onitsha municipal waste leachate on the Giant African land snail, Limicolaria aurora (Jay 1839). The histopathological effects of waste leachate on the digestive cells of the snails were examined following standard protocols. Snails were exposed to different concentrations (0, 6.25, 12.5, 25.0 and 50.0%) of the leachate for a total duration of 21 days. Histological results obtained showed that waste leachate caused dose and duration dependent alterations in the digestive glands of L. aurora. Obvious histological variations were observed in snails exposed to 50% concentrations of the leachate compared to other doses. Observed histological changes were mainly degeneration of the digestive tubules, fragmentation and disappearance of the digestive cells, marked increase in excretory cells, necrosis and epithelia sloughing. This study therefore highlights the potential toxicity of waste leachate of causing mild to severe damage in the tissues of organisms. Reinforcing the fact, that waste leachate contains a mix of toxic substances that could pose a severe injury to the biological system of surrounding biota, including humans.
ABSTRACT
The present study investigated the effects of first record of co-infection of three Clinostomum sp.; Clinostomum Complanatum [Rudolphi, 1819], C. tilapiae [Ukoli, 1966], and Euclinostomum hetereostomum [1809] in Tilapia zilii. There was differential parasitic effects resulting in selection for relatively better adaptiveness to host's microhabitats, more population size, and frequent host location of these parasites during the one year survey [Nov 2007- Oct 2008] in Opi Lake, Nigeria. Prevalence of 9.4% was recorded in C. complanatum, 10.4% in E. heterostomum and 4.8% in C. tilapiae. The parasites were recovered from three major microhabitats of buccal cavity, skin and eye