ABSTRACT
Toxic insults of xenobiotic compounds pose a threat to non-target organisms in aquatic biota. Contaminants like pesticides, heavy metals, sewage, polycyclic hydrocarbons, plastics, and persistent organic pollutants are known to induce physiological dysfunctions in fishes under sub-lethal exposure. Among various injuries induced by them, environmental toxins are also potent genotoxins that damage, modify or transform the genetic makeup of fishes by altering the structure of DNA. Moreover, the formation of micronuclei in fish hematocytes has been a long and basic tool to quantify the level of genetic injuries caused in fish due to continuous xenobiotic exposure in nature. Hence this chapter identifies the mechanism of genotoxicity in fish and the role significance of micronuclei evaluation in fish blood cells for the quantification of genotoxic abuses.
