Assessing haematological parameter and probable toxicity analysis in two coastal fish species at harbouring areas of digha coastal belt, West Bengal, India.

Coastal ecosystems are vital for maintaining the biodiversity and human livelihoods, but they are increasingly subjected to anthropogenic pressures, including pollution from various sources. Present work intends to assess the possible threats in coastal ecosystem as well as coastal fish species, in particular, through haematological parameters caused due to exposure of environmental contaminants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), potentially toxic metals (PTMs), etc. This study analysed the haematological parameters and probable toxicity levels in two important coastal fish species, viz., Mystus sp. and Mugil sp. widely available in Digha coastal belt. Different haematological parameters, such as WBC (White Blood Cells), Lym (Lymphocytes), Gran (Granulocytes), Mid (Monocytes), RBC (Red Blood Cells), HCT (Haematocrit), MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume), MCH (Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin), MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration), RDW CV (Red Cells Distribution Width-coefficient of Variation), RDW SD (Red Cells Distribution Width-Standard Deviation), PLT (Total Platelet Count), MPV (Mean Platelet Volume), PDW SD (Platelet Distribution Width-standard Deviation), PDW CV (Platelet Distribution Width-coefficient of Variation), PCT (Plateletcrit), PLCR (Platelet Large Cell Ratio), PLCC (Platelet Large Cell Count) were measured directly through Erba H360 Haematology Analyser, simultaneously air dried blood smear was stained by Haematoxiline-Eosin and Giemsa stain for differential count and observed through Leica dm 2000 microscope. Evidence of several abnormalities in the erythrocyte's nucleus (ENA) and the abundance of abnormal celled erythrocytes (ECA), carcinoma (lymphoproliferative disorders, polycythaemia vera, Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma), elevation of WBCs, Lym %, EO, monocytes, HCT and gross depletion of Ne, basophils, and PLCR levels indicated a sign of major impact of contamination to two intoxicated fishes which may also affect the human being through food chain and may result into leukaemia in mammalian species, finally. However, comprehensive evaluation of the long-term impacts of the contaminants like PAHs and/or PTMs, etc., on fish populations, human health risk and coastal ecosystem is required to be addressed.