Assessment of Diagnostic Enzymes as Indices of Heavy Metal Pollution in Tilapia Fish
Diagnostic enzymes like aspartate aminotransferase
(AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase
(ALP) were determined as indices of heavy metal pollution in Tilapia
guinensis. Three different sets of fishes treated with lead (Pb), iron
(Fe) and copper (Cu) were used for the study while a fourth group
with no heavy metal served as a control. Fishes in each of the groups
were exposed to 2.65mg/l of Pb, 0.85mg/l of Fe and 0.35 mg/l of Cu
in aerated aquaria for 96 hours. Tissue fractionation of the liver
tissues was carried out and the three diagnostic enzymes (AST, ALT,
and ALP) were estimated. Serum levels of the same diagnostic
enzymes were also measured. The mean values of the serum enzyme
activity for ALP in each experimental group were 19.5±1.62,
29.67±2.17 and 1.15±0.27 IU/L for Pb, Fe and Cu groups compared
with 9.99±1.34 IU/L enzyme activity in the control. This result
showed that Pb and Fe caused increased release of the enzyme into
the blood circulation indicating increased tissue damage while Cu
caused a reduction in the serum level as compared with the level in
the control group. The mean values of enzyme activity obtained in
the liver were 102.14±6.12, 140.17±2.06 and 168.23±3.52 IU/L for
Pb, Fe and Cu groups, respectively compared to 91.20±9.42 IU/L
enzyme activity for the control group. The serum and liver AST and
ALT activities obtained in Pb, Fe, Cu and control groups are
reported. It was generally noted that the presence of the heavy metal
caused liver tissues damage and consequent increased level of the
diagnostic enzymes in the serum.
[1] J. C. Reis. Coping with the waste stream from Drilling for oil.
Proceedings, Ecoworld’92 Conference, June, 14-17 in Washington D.
C., 1992.
[2] J. I. R. Udotong and O. U. M. John. Spatio- temporal variations in heavy
metal concentrations in sediment of QIRE, Nigeria, unpublished, 2015.
[3] J. Tariq, M. Ashraf, M. Jaffar, and M. Af Zal. Pollution status of the
Indus. Rivers, Pakistan, through heavy metal and macronutrient contents
of fish, sediment and water. Wat. Res., 30: 1337 – 1344, 1996.
[4] I. R. Udotong. Environmental monitoring and effect of petroleum
production effluent on some biota of the lower Qua Iboe river estuary.
Ph.D thesis, University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu-
Oroworukwo, Port-harcourt, Nigeria, 295, 2000.
[5] J. I. R. Udotong. Bioaccumulation and biotoxicity of heavy metals,
polychlorinated biphenyls andhydrocarbons in tilapia, periwinkle and
oysters from Qua Iboe River estuary. Ph. D thesis, University of calabar,
Calabar, Nigeria, P. 95, 2004.
[6] United Nations Conference in Environment and Development (UNCED)
Earth Summit. Brazil: UNCED Rio De Janeiro, 1992.
[7] R. Wagemann and D. C. G. Muir. Concentrations of heavy metals and
Organochlorines in marine mammals of Northern waters: an overview
and evaluation. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 1279, 1–97, 1984.
[8] A. C. de Kock, P. B. Best, V. Cockroft and C. Bosama. Persistent
organochlorine residues in small cetaceans from the east and west coast
of Southern Africa. The Science of the Total Environment, 154, 153 –
162, 1994.
[9] P. D. Abel (Ed.). Water Pollution Biology. Chichester: Elis Horwood
Limited, 101- 142pp. 1989.
[10] Metcalf and Eddy. Wastewater Characteristics, Inc: Wastewater
Engineering: Treatment Disposal, Reuse. New York: McGraw- Hill,
1995.
[11] E. R. Mancini and C. T. Stilwell. Biotoxicity characterization of a
produced water discharge in Wyoming. Journal of Protection Technol.,
44(6), 744 – 748, 1992.
[12] J. I. R. Udotong, and O. U. M. John. Histopathological changes in tilapia
fish exposed to heavy metals toxicants, unpublished, 2015. [13] M. Ahsannulah. Acute toxicity of Zinc and Cadmium to seven
invertebrate species from Western Port, Victoria. Aust. J. Mar. Fresh
wat. Res., 27, 187 –196, 1976.
[14] J. B. Spraque. The ABC’s of pollutant bioassay using fish. In: Biological
methods for the assessment of water quality. ASTM Special Technical
Publication 528, 6–30, 1973.
[15] IFCC. Expert on enzymes, provisional recommendations on IFCC
methods for the measurement of catalytic concentrations of enzymes,
part 2. Clin. Chem. Acta, 70, F 19-42, 1986.
[16] M. N. MacSween and K. Whaley. Nutritional disorders: Minerals and
trace element (338-354). London: In: Muir’s textbook of pathology. 13th
Edition ELBS. Edward Arnold, 1992.
[1] J. C. Reis. Coping with the waste stream from Drilling for oil.
Proceedings, Ecoworld’92 Conference, June, 14-17 in Washington D.
C., 1992.
[2] J. I. R. Udotong and O. U. M. John. Spatio- temporal variations in heavy
metal concentrations in sediment of QIRE, Nigeria, unpublished, 2015.
[3] J. Tariq, M. Ashraf, M. Jaffar, and M. Af Zal. Pollution status of the
Indus. Rivers, Pakistan, through heavy metal and macronutrient contents
of fish, sediment and water. Wat. Res., 30: 1337 – 1344, 1996.
[4] I. R. Udotong. Environmental monitoring and effect of petroleum
production effluent on some biota of the lower Qua Iboe river estuary.
Ph.D thesis, University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu-
Oroworukwo, Port-harcourt, Nigeria, 295, 2000.
[5] J. I. R. Udotong. Bioaccumulation and biotoxicity of heavy metals,
polychlorinated biphenyls andhydrocarbons in tilapia, periwinkle and
oysters from Qua Iboe River estuary. Ph. D thesis, University of calabar,
Calabar, Nigeria, P. 95, 2004.
[6] United Nations Conference in Environment and Development (UNCED)
Earth Summit. Brazil: UNCED Rio De Janeiro, 1992.
[7] R. Wagemann and D. C. G. Muir. Concentrations of heavy metals and
Organochlorines in marine mammals of Northern waters: an overview
and evaluation. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 1279, 1–97, 1984.
[8] A. C. de Kock, P. B. Best, V. Cockroft and C. Bosama. Persistent
organochlorine residues in small cetaceans from the east and west coast
of Southern Africa. The Science of the Total Environment, 154, 153 –
162, 1994.
[9] P. D. Abel (Ed.). Water Pollution Biology. Chichester: Elis Horwood
Limited, 101- 142pp. 1989.
[10] Metcalf and Eddy. Wastewater Characteristics, Inc: Wastewater
Engineering: Treatment Disposal, Reuse. New York: McGraw- Hill,
1995.
[11] E. R. Mancini and C. T. Stilwell. Biotoxicity characterization of a
produced water discharge in Wyoming. Journal of Protection Technol.,
44(6), 744 – 748, 1992.
[12] J. I. R. Udotong, and O. U. M. John. Histopathological changes in tilapia
fish exposed to heavy metals toxicants, unpublished, 2015. [13] M. Ahsannulah. Acute toxicity of Zinc and Cadmium to seven
invertebrate species from Western Port, Victoria. Aust. J. Mar. Fresh
wat. Res., 27, 187 –196, 1976.
[14] J. B. Spraque. The ABC’s of pollutant bioassay using fish. In: Biological
methods for the assessment of water quality. ASTM Special Technical
Publication 528, 6–30, 1973.
[15] IFCC. Expert on enzymes, provisional recommendations on IFCC
methods for the measurement of catalytic concentrations of enzymes,
part 2. Clin. Chem. Acta, 70, F 19-42, 1986.
[16] M. N. MacSween and K. Whaley. Nutritional disorders: Minerals and
trace element (338-354). London: In: Muir’s textbook of pathology. 13th
Edition ELBS. Edward Arnold, 1992.
@article{"International Journal of Biological, Life and Agricultural Sciences:70364", author = "Justina I. R. Udotong", title = "Assessment of Diagnostic Enzymes as Indices of Heavy Metal Pollution in Tilapia Fish", abstract = "Diagnostic enzymes like aspartate aminotransferase
(AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase
(ALP) were determined as indices of heavy metal pollution in Tilapia
guinensis. Three different sets of fishes treated with lead (Pb), iron
(Fe) and copper (Cu) were used for the study while a fourth group
with no heavy metal served as a control. Fishes in each of the groups
were exposed to 2.65mg/l of Pb, 0.85mg/l of Fe and 0.35 mg/l of Cu
in aerated aquaria for 96 hours. Tissue fractionation of the liver
tissues was carried out and the three diagnostic enzymes (AST, ALT,
and ALP) were estimated. Serum levels of the same diagnostic
enzymes were also measured. The mean values of the serum enzyme
activity for ALP in each experimental group were 19.5±1.62,
29.67±2.17 and 1.15±0.27 IU/L for Pb, Fe and Cu groups compared
with 9.99±1.34 IU/L enzyme activity in the control. This result
showed that Pb and Fe caused increased release of the enzyme into
the blood circulation indicating increased tissue damage while Cu
caused a reduction in the serum level as compared with the level in
the control group. The mean values of enzyme activity obtained in
the liver were 102.14±6.12, 140.17±2.06 and 168.23±3.52 IU/L for
Pb, Fe and Cu groups, respectively compared to 91.20±9.42 IU/L
enzyme activity for the control group. The serum and liver AST and
ALT activities obtained in Pb, Fe, Cu and control groups are
reported. It was generally noted that the presence of the heavy metal
caused liver tissues damage and consequent increased level of the
diagnostic enzymes in the serum.", keywords = "Diagnostic enzymes, enzyme activity, heavy metals,
tissues investigations.", volume = "9", number = "6", pages = "670-5", }