Vol. 1, Issue 7, Part L (2015)

Abstract
Industries are the major sources of heavy metal pollution and it is released into water and soil. Heavy metals cause several ill effects to aquatic living organisms and environment. The nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) content in different tissues such as brain, liver, kidney and ovary of copper sulphate exposed freshwater fish, Clarias batrachus has been studied. The changes in the nucleic acid content of the tissues have been observed. The DNA content in the ovary is higher in comparison to other tissues. The variation of DNA content in control and copper sulphate exposed fish is ovary >liver>brain>kidney. The RNA content also exhibited similar to that of DNA, having higher amount in the ovary and the variation is ovary>liver>brain>kidney. Although the degree of variation between the tissues remains same in both control and experimental groups, the nucleic acid content reduced under copper sulphate exposed freshwater fish, Clarias batrachus indicating copper sulphate as a pollutant effect the nucleic acid content in the tissue.