ABSTRACT.

The study examined the effect of battery waste on African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. Massive spent batteries when disposed indiscriminately constitute nuisance and cause resource waste as well as environmental pollution to the ecosystems. The fish were exposed to five different concentrations as T 1 5g,T2 l Og, T3 15g, T4 20g, T 5 25g,and the control as T0 for four days and later left for four weeks as possible bio-remediation. Physicochemical parameters and heavy metals were analyzed in accordance with standard methods. Clarias gariepinus fingerlings exposed to lethal and sub lethal concentrations of battery waste were investigated in a static bioassay with particular reference to behavioral changes, survival, and histopathological changes. Early symptoms of battery waste lethal poisoning were respiratory distress, hyperactivity, erratic swimming, loss of equilibrium and increased breathing activity. Behavioral response was dose dependent and decreased with decrease concentration. The histopathological changes of the gills, liver, and intestinal tissues of fish exposed to battery waste with sub lethal concentration for four weeks showed gill distortion, hyperplasia and excessive mucus accumulation. Histology of the liver of Clarias gariepinus exposed to 5g/l battery waste showing normal morphology of hepatocyte with no inflammation. Histology of Liver of Clarias gariepinus exposed to 25g/l battery waste showing diffuse lobular hepatocytes necrosis with severe inflammation but no fibrosis.