ACUTE EFFECT OF ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES ON TOTAL PROTEINS OF Clarias gariepinus EMBRYOS

ABSTRACT

This dissertation focused on the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) embryotoxicity. The total protein levels in the embryos of Clarias gariepinus were determined following a standard method after exposure to different concentrations (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 µg/L) of ZnO NP for 96 hours. The results showed that there was a minor increment in the total protein levels at the exposure of Clarias gariepinus embryos to 0.5 µg/L ZnO NPs and a significant increase in NP concentration at 1 µg/L. The highest level of the total protein was recorded at the 10.0 µg/L concentration exposure of the ZnO NP to the embryos. The effect of ZnO NP increases with increasing concentration of the ZnO NP in a dose-dependent manner. Elevated total protein levels imply that there is a possible inflammation or infection, and this could lead to adverse developmental challenges for the fish embryos.