Toxicological Effects of Sewage Water on Chick Embryonic Development

Abstract

For toxicity research, a total of 100 fertilized nonincubated eggs were used for this study. There were two trials in this experiment which were further divided into 2 phases based on a different days of sewage water treatment and observation days. In each trial, 50 eggs were used and divided into 5 groups. Group A, B, and C were treated with three different concentrations of pure and diluted sewage water (100%, 70%, and 30%), respectively. Control group D was given 0.3 ml saline solution (0.9% NaCl) and group E was uninjected. Different parameters such as the embryo’s body weight, body length, forelimb length, hindlimb length, and head diameter were determined. In trial 1, eggs were treated with sewage water on 7th day of incubation and opened on 8th day (phase I) and 9th day (phase II). When the trial 1 (phase I) findings were compared to the control groups, it was observed that body weight, body length, forelimb length, and hindlimb length were highly statistically significant differences ( $p<0.01$ ), but the head diameter was not significant ( $p>0.05$ ). Phase II result showed embryo’s head diameter was a highly statistically significant difference ( $p<0.01$ ), whereas forelimb length was significant ( $p<0.05$ ), and body weight, body length, and hindlimb length were nonsignificant ( $p>0.05$ ). In trial 2, eggs were treated with sewage water on 14th day of incubation and opened on 15th day (phase I) and 16th day (phase II). Results of 15th day showed a highly statistically significant ( $p<0.01$ ) difference in hindlimb length, while body weight, body length, forelimb length, and head diameter were nonsignificant ( $p>0.05$ ). Phase II of trial 2 showed that on 16th day, body weight, body length, forelimb length, hindlimb length, and head diameter showed a nonsignificant ( $p>0.05$ ) difference between experimental and control groups. Embryos were observed to be deforming on the 9th day (after 48 hours of exposure to sewage water). Other phases showed no signs of deformation. Except on 8th day of incubation, dose-related mortalities were present in experimental groups, while the control group showed no mortality.