Histopathological Alterations in Gills of Some Poecilid Fishes after Exposure to Bisphenol A

Rational: Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical, used to manufacture polycarbonate and numerous plastic articles and leach to salt and fresh water. Low levels of BPA have also been found to cause biological effects and its mode of action appears to mimic that of the female hormone, estrogen. BPA therefore belongs to a group of chemicals termed "hormone disruptors" or "endocrine disruptors" that are able to disrupt the chemical messenger system in the body.Objective: Gills are generally considered good indicator of water quality, being models for studies of environmental impact. So this study was designed to assess the histological changes caused to the gill tissues of both mosquito-fish (Gambusia affinis) and a guppy-fish (Poecilia reticulata) after exposure to Bisphenol.Methods: Specimens of both mosquito-fish (Gambusia affinis) and a guppy-fish (Poecilia reticulata) exposed to (50µg/l of bisphenol A) for 15 days (short term) and 30 days (long term). After 15-and fifty days experiments were terminated and both treated and control fishes were fixed in alcoholic Bouin's solution were prepared by routine histological technique. Slides were then microscopically examined, photographed and described. Results revealed that gills from BPA treated fishes showed several histopathological lesions manifested in necrosis and desquamation or degenerated of secondary lamellar epithelium, lifting up of epithelium, intraepithelial edema and fusion of adjacent secondary lamellae, disorganization and rupture in secondary lamellae as well as hyperplasia of epithelial cells. In conclusions, our study concluded that, the concentration 50ug/l of BPA has ability to induce harmful effect on the gill tissue of fishes and these effects are dose and time dependent.