author(s)
AM Nagwanshi, SB Zade, MM Shinkhede and SS Shahare

abstract
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have the potential to disrupt the endocrine system by mimicking endogenous hormones such as estrogens and androgens. A variety of commercial products are found in river water, are estrogenic. 4-Nonylphenol (4-NP) has been found to be oestrogenic in fish and may influence the reproductive system of male fish. In the present study, the effects of three sublethal concentrations (70, 100 and 130 µg/lit) of 4-nonylphenol for 10 days on the liver were investigated in African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822). Histological examination of the liver of fish treated with 70 µg/lit 4-nonylphenol for 10 days showed eccentric nuclei in cells, presence of number of vacuoles, increased accumulation of pyknotic nuclei whereas the liver of fish treated with 100 µg/lit 4-nonylphenol for 10 days showed, disorganization of hepatic cords, hepatocytes with eccentric nuclei, presence of number of vacuoles, presence of melanomacrophage. Similarly, the histological examination of the liver of fish treated with 130 µg/lit 4-NP for 10 days showed, disruption of normal architecture of central vein and hepatic triad, disorganization of hepatic cords, enucleated hepatocytes and dilation of sinusoids. Based on the above results, the present study indicates that 4-nonylphenol has marked effects on the liver histology of C. gariepinus which ultimately affects the normal metabolic activities of organism. The severity of effects of fish increases with the time of exposure.