Study of the Effect of Toxicity in Heavy Metals Pollutants on Fresh water Fish of Korba District, Chhattisgarh

The impact of heavy metal pollution on aquatic ecosystems, focusing on two selected metals: Copper (Cu) and Arsenic (As). Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements released into the environment through geological processes, but human activities such as mining, industry, and technology have escalated their presence, especially in aquatic habitats. The accumulation of heavy metals in aquatic organisms, particularly fish like the Rohu (Labio Rohita), occurs through various routes including gills, body surface, and alimentary canal. The thesis emphasizes the importance of understanding the toxic effects of heavy metals on aquatic organisms, encompassing not only lethality and mortality but also sub-lethal effects on behavior, growth, reproduction, physiology, and biochemistry. Copper, an essential element, exhibits toxic effects on aquatic environments due to its oxidative properties. It can disrupt fish physiology, induce oxidative stress, and impact immune responses. The study underscores the need for comprehensive qualitative and quantitative assessments to evaluate the effects of pollutants on aquatic organisms. This involves investigating behavioral, physiological, and biochemical changes, as well as employing statistical analysis and mathematical modeling to predict and quantify these effects. The research contributes to our understanding of the complex interactions between heavy metals and aquatic organisms, shedding light on the environmental risks posed by increasing metal concentrations resulting from human activities. The behavioral changes in the fish were observed for all test concentrations of both Cooper and Arsenic. Lethal concentrations (LC50) were calculated for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours by probit analysis. The LC50 values for 96 h and 95% confidence intervals for the rohu fish.