THE EFFECTS OF PH AND SALINITY ON THE RESPIRATORY ACTIVITIES OF AFRICAN LUNG FISH PROTOPTERUS ANNECTENS

Abstract         

This work – The Effects of PH and salinity on the Respiratory Activities of African Lungfish Protopterus annectens has been a very interesting and revealing experience.  With the completion of this work, we believe that human activities such as farming and mining have been exposed to contribute immensely to the acidification of natural waters of Nigeria as a result of chronic or acute episodes of low PH due to pollution.  It is also our belief that this work will initiate a renewed confidence in our Biologists to nurture and manage our environment. Results obtained during this exercise show that low and very high PHdue to pollution produces perhaps the most striking effects.  
At Low PH, fishes show symptoms of respiratory distress as a result of the coagulation of mucus on the gills of fishes.  On the other hand, the effect is very much pronounced at high salinity values.  This is to say that fishes show increase in respiratory rate at salinities, which are closest to the osmotic content of their body fluids.  However, departure from normal concentration and composition of the internal medium causes metabolic disturbances and eventual death.

CHAPTER I
 
 
 
 

INTRODUCTION
 
 
 

1.1   Background of Study
 
 
 
 

The Longman Pocket English Dictionary (2001) simply defined the term “EFFECTS” as a result A more, detailed description of the same word can be obtained according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary by Hormby (2001) as: A change that somebody or something causes in somebody or something else.  F.G and H.N Fowler (2002) defined “EFFECT” as: Result of Consequence of Action.  Suffice it to say that the term “EFFECTS” throws more light on the impression produced on a spectator or hearer it also seeks to bring about, accomplish or cause an event to occur.  The definitions stated above imply that the term “EFFECTS” can be used in different contexts such as:
(i)          To state what the facts of a situation are
(ii)        To start the production of intended results
(iii)       To show that you are giving the general meaning of what somebody has said or written rather than the exact words.In this context, the term “EFFECTS” is used to show how something is made to happen.  In the topic sentence of this project environmental conditions expected to affect the respiratory activities of aquatic life-forms including the African lungfish.         
A critical analysis of the topic sentence reveals key words such as EFFECTS, PH, SALINITY and RESPIRATION.  With the word EFFECTS” already, fully discussed, we shall now proceed to discussing the other ones.         
This symbol PH according to Butani (2006) represents Pouvoir HYDROGENE in French.  But in English language it is a symbol or abbreviation for HYDROGEN POWER. The author opined that PHindicates relative concentration of Hydrogen ions in solution.  This means that express the acidity or alkalinity of a medium.  The instrument with which to determine the PH of solution/media is known as the PH meter.         
Ababio (2001) observed that the acidity of a solution can be measured by the extent to which the solution transfers protons to water molecules to produce Hydronium ions (H3O+). He also opined that the alkalinity of the same solution can be determined by the extent to which the solution removes proton from water.         
The PH of a solution can also be calculated from the amount of H3O+ (Hydronium ions) that is formed in water solutions of Acids or of OH (Hydroxyl ions) formed in water solution of bases.  Therefore, the value of PH equals the negative logarithm of the hydronium ion concentration.        
 Mathematically: PH = -log [H3O+]         
The importance of PH cannot be over emphasized hence some of the importances are state below
 
i.            An acid medium is required for the digestion of foods in the stomach while an alkaline mediums is required for food digestion in the small intestine.
ii.          Body fluids must be maintained at correct PH values. Deviations from these values may indicate ill health.  The PH of a normal human blood is 7.4.
iii.        PH values are important in pharmacy, medicine water purification, sewage treatment and several industrial processes.
iv.         Most plants grow well in soils with a PH of 7 to 5.Butani (2006) explained salinity as the measure of saltiness of a body of water.  In his words; salinity refers to the measure of salt content of sea water.  Hence, we can infer that salinity is the degree of saltiness of a water body.  Marine ecosystems have water containing a mixture of salts, which make up 3.5% of the mass of a quantity of sea water in his words. Miller and Harley (1996) identified the five (5) ecosystems including:
 
 
i.            Estuaries
ii.          Littoral zones
iii.        Benthic zones
iv.         Oceanic zones
v.           Coral reefs
 
Having dwelt so much on physical factors such as PH and salinity, it is about time we discuss the physiological process of respiration. Therefore the next paragraph deals exclusively on the process of Respiration especially in fishes. Respiration according to Emeka (2008) is the process through, which digested food, is broken down in the body for the release of Energy.  This is an oxidation process. Carbondioxide (O2) and water are releases as waste products.  
The chemical equation representing this product is given below.    C6H12O6 + 6O2   →     6CO2         + 6H2O      + Energy   Glucose      Oxygen       Dioxide      Water     or 36 molecule   Of ATPRespiration in fishes involves sending air in and out of the body of the fish and chemical reaction in their body cells in which energy is released.  It involves both physical and chemical processes, which are called GASEOUS EXCHANGE or EXTERNAL RESPIRATION.  The chemical process is called FOOD OXIDATION or INTERNAL RESPIRATION.       
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