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Turkish Journal of Zoology

Effects of Mercury, Chromium and Nickel on Glycogen Reserves and Protein Levels in Tissues of Cyprinus carpio

Mustafa CANLI

DOI

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Abstract

The carps Cyprinus carpio were exposed to sublethal concentrations of mercury (0.01 and 0.1 mg/1), chromium (2 and 20 mg/1) and nickel (2 and 20 mg/1) for seven days. Following the metal exposures, total and heat-stable protein levels in the liver, muscle and gill and glycogen contents in the liver and muscle of fish were measured. Results were statistically compared with a control group which was kept in the same conditions without any metal addition. Glycogen levels in the tissues of all metal-exposed carps significantly decreased. When compared to the control levels, mercury caused highest depletions of glycogen in the tissues (up to 96 %), and was followed by nickel (up to 86 %) and chromium (up to 75 %). Total protein contents in the tissues of metal-exposed animals decreased significantly over control values, except in the liver and gill of chromium exposed animals. In the heat-treated homogenates, percent protein loss differed between control and metal-exposed fish. Highest protein loss after the heat-treatment occurred in chromium exposed fish (up to 84 %), and it was followed by nickel (up to 43 %), mercury (up to 41 %) and control (up to 33 %) fish. Except in the chromium experiment, highest percentages of protein loss were found in the muscle, and were followed by the liver and gill.

Keywords

Mercury, Chromium, Nickel, Protein, Glycogen

First Page

161

Last Page

168

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