Toxicity effects of Diethyl Phtalate (DEP) on the freshwater fish Nile Tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus)/
John Pierre C. Donadillo, Deo Angelo B. Navarro, Joshua L. Rosete, and Psalm Danielle S. Torres .--
- Manila: Technological University of the Philippines, 2024.
- ix, 151pages: 29cm. +1 CD-ROM (4 3/4in.)
Thesis (undergraduate)
College of Science .--
Includes bibliography:
Abstract: Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is considered an emerging synthetic chemical pollutant utilized as a plasticizer for personal care, insecticides, plastic packaging, and other plastic products. Detecting these chemicals is important to understand the toxicity effect of DEP. This study aimed to evaluate the median lethal concentration (LC50) of DEP on Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings and assess the behavioral and morphological changes to DEP and the presence of DEP in Pampanga River in San Miguel, Bulacan. The acute toxicity was tested to determine the LC50 of the DEP on the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings by static bioassay method using probit analysis. Fingerlings were exposed to different concentrations (0, 25, 35, 50, and 75 ppm) of DEP for 96 hours. The lethal concentration 50 value was 48.073 mg/L with a 95% confidence limit. The Pampanga River has a < 1 μg/L presence of DEP. Fingerlings were exposed to sub-lethal concentration (1/10 of LC50) that allowed monitoring of their behavioral and morphological changes within 7 days. The toxicity effects of DEP on Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) are evident even at sub-lethal concentrations to have behavioral and morphological changes. Fingerlings showed sluggishness, loss of equilibrium, abnormal movement, and changes in dark skin pigmentation on the dorsal surface. Fingerlings exposed to DEP showed significantly reduced growth compared to the control group, with a 46% difference in weight and an 11% difference in length. The water quality parameters of aquariums were aligned with the BFAR guidelines for the growth of Nile Tilapia fingerlings. This includes pH ranging from (7.71 to 8.16), temperature (27.8 °C to 28.1 °C), TDS (84 mg/L to 113 mg/L), salinity (84 mg/L to 113 mg/L), and DO (5.1 mg/L to 7.1 mg/L). This encourages people to be aware of the adverse effects of pollutants in the Pampanga River, San Miguel, Calumpit, Bulacan, Philippines.