Böcker av Sajal (University of Calcutta India) Ray

Sundarbans estuary of India is rich in biodiversity and under the threat of contamination by various xenobiotics including diesel. Motorised boats run by diesel are the chief mode of transport across the river and creeks of Sundarbans mangrove. Occasional spillage of diesel from these vessels often contaminates the water and littoral habitat of mud whelk, an important molluscan resident of this estuary. Hemocytes, the chief immunoeffector cells of mollusc perform diverse physiological functions like nonself recognition, biological plug formation by aggregation, elicitation of cytotoxicity and phagocytosis. Undesirable shift in hemocyte density, nonself recognition ability and cytotoxicity in mud whelk exposed to diesel are indicative to impairment of immune status and reduction of survival fitness of this species in its natural habitat. Prolonged exposure and toxicity of diesel in benthic community may lead to a gradual loss of littoral biodiversity of Sundarbans estuary.

Arsenic is a precarious contaminant of Sundarbans estuary of India. Mangroves of Sundarbans are rich in biodiversity and under constant threat of exposure of diverse xenobiotics including arsenic. Mudcrab, a resident of this estuary is an edible species of economical importance. Exposure of arsenic resulted in physiological adversities like hemocyte dysfunction; an undesirable shift of innate immunity and cytotoxic response in mudcrab. Natural and accidental wounding of tissue and organ are not uncommon in the hostile environment of mangrove. Arsenic induced alteration of kinetics of wound healing and behavioural shift render a possible reduction of ecological fitness of mudcrab. Undesirable change in immunological status and behaviour may lead to decline in population of mudcrab in its natural habitat. Thus, arsenic is apprehended as a causative factor for loss of this important bioresource of indian estuary.