Alex A Enuneku1
,
Lawrence I Ezemonye2
,
Mike Ajieh1
For correspondence:- Alex Enuneku Email: alex.enuneku@uniben.edu Tel: +2348030773314
Published: 30 December 2014
Citation: Enuneku AA, Ezemonye LI, Ajieh M. Histopathological Effects of Spent Oil Based Drilling Mud and Cuttings on the Earthworm, Aporrectodea longa. J Sci Pract Pharm 2014; 1(1):20-24 doi: 10.47227/jsppharm.v1i1.5
© 2014 The author(s).
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Purpose: To evaluate the histopathological effects of spent oil based drilling mud and cuttings on Aporrectodea longa.
Methods: The earthworm, Aporrectodea longa, was exposed to different concentrations of suspended particle phase (SPP) of drilling mud and cutting, collected from an abandoned oil drilling site in Mpanak, Niger Delta Region, for 28 days. Toxicological effects on the annelid was evaluated using standard procedure.
Results: At the end of the exposure, bioaccumulation of the toxic chemical constituents of the drilling mud (heavy metals and total hydrocarbons) increased (p<0.05) in whole tissue of earthworm with increase drilling mud concentration. Histopathological changes in the crop, gizzard and intestine of earthworms were moderate necrosis in the lower concentrations and severe necrosis in the higher concentrations.
Conclusion: The results of this study have shown that drilling mud and cuttings could cause serious health risk to Aporrectodea longa. The discharge of drilling mud into the terrestrial ecosystems should be discouraged or adequate treatment options for detoxification should be employed prior to discharge
