Lethal toxicity of phenol to freshwater fish

Abstract

Phenolic wastes containing phenol have adversely affected freshwater fisheries by direct toxicity to fishes and phenolic compounds are frequently found as contaminants in aquatic habitats and has several sources including industrial wastes, coal, wood distillation, road tars, petroleum refining, chemical and plastics manufacturing and they enter natural water causing contamination and affecting fishes and other aquatic organisms, phenol act as nerve poison paralyse fish and suffocate them by causing congestion of blood in gills, coagulation of blood in the heart cavity inflammation and necrosis of the gills, to study the toxicity of phenol to fish the static renewal bioassays were done for 96 hours to the freshwater fish Gambusia affinis and Lepidocephalichthys guntea for 96 hours were studied at laboratory conditions and oxygen consumption of the fish was observed and calculated. The 24,48,72 and 96 hours LC50 values were calculated respectively for the both fish exposed to phenol.