Genotoxicity and Ecotoxicological Effects of Cassava Effluent in Swiss Albino Male Mice Using the Sperm Morphology and Peripheral Blood Micronucleus Assays
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Date
2020
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Abstract
Cassava is a very important staple food in most developing countries but effluents
generated during its processing are not usually disposed properly, thus, contributing
significantly to environmental pollution. Several reports have demonstrated the
acutely toxic and genotoxic effects of cassava effluent in microbial organisms,
plants and aquatic animals, the effects of pollutants present in these effluents have
not been clarified yet in terrestrial animals. The study aimed to evaluate the
haematological, histopathological and genotoxic potential of cassava effluents from
Olorun-Sogo cassava mill in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, on the male germ and somatic cells of Swiss albino mice using sperm morphology and micronucleus
assays. Cassava effluent dilutions of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% were administered by
intraperitoneal injection to mice, totalizing 0.5mL for 5 consecutive days and a 5
week exposure period was considered. The effluent induced a concentration –
dependent statistically significant increase (p< 0.05) in the micronucleus and number
of sperm with abnormal morphology at all concentrations as well as diverse
histopathological changes in the testes. Haematological parameters were not
significantly affected (p>0.05). The liver shows slightly distorted architecture while
the kidney shows slight distortion in the renal corpuscles and the surrounding
parenchyma. Alterations in alveolar space were observed in the lung while the
spleen revealed a slight distortion in it tissue. The physico-chemical analysis also
revealed the presence of significant amounts of cyanide and heavy metals (lead,
iron, cadmium and silver). The present findings are relevant in environmental waste
management and assessment of the hazardous effects of cassava effluents.