The Impact of Zeolite on Ammonia Toxicity, Growth Performance and Physiological Status of the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromius niloticus)

M. Shalaby, Adel; K. Khames, Mohamed; Fathy, Adel; A. Gharieb, Amany; A. Abdel-Hamid, Eman

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2021.148524

The Impact of Zeolite on Ammonia Toxicity, Growth Performance and Physiological Status of the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromius niloticus)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

10.21608/ejabf.2021.148524

Abstract

Environmental pollution adversely affects ﬁsh growth and health. Thus, the search for agents that have a protective role against pollutants’ toxicity is worthwhile; especially those with the potential natural biological occurrence and no side effects. Hence, an investigation was undertaken to examine the opposing effect of zeolite against ammonia toxicity which induced perturbations in some hematological, biochemical parameters and poor growth in Nile tilapia (O. niloticus). Moreover, an evaluation of the efficiency of chelating zeolite to counteract the toxicity of two levels of ammonium chloride (18 and 1.8 mg NH₄cl/l) was conducted. Fingerlings Nile tilapia, with weight ranges from 9.1 - 9.4 g, were assigned to five groups with three replicates. The first group was determined as control with zero additions. The 2nd and the 4th were exposed to 18 and 1.8 mg NH₄Cl/l, respectively. In addition, the 3^rd and the 5th groups were exposed to the same concentration of ammonium chloride with 6g Zeolite /l, respectively. As result, congruent with an increase in ammonia, a significant decrease was detected in growth performance, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, erythrocyte count (RBC_S), hemoglobin content (HB), hematocrit value (Hct) and total protein in fish exposed to doses of ammonia. Moreover, the addition of zeolite enhanced the blood parameter and growth in fish exposed to a low concentration of ammonia, recording values close to those of the control fish. On the other hand, the glucose concentration, alanine aminotransferase activity (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALK), total lipid profile and kidney function increased significantly, particularly in fish exposed to the two levels of ammonia toxicity. Whereas, its values in a fish group exposed to a low concentration of ammonia with 6g of zeolite became similar to those of the control. Thus, the addition of zeolite to ammonia in a contaminated medium is recommended to reduce ammonia concentration in aquaculture, improve growth performance and physiological function and activities in fish.

Keywords