Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Metal Accumulation and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in C. gariepinus, Catfish, and O. mossambicus, Tilapia, Collected from Lower Mguza and Wright Dams, Zimbabwe

  • Published:
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to measure antioxidant enzyme activities as biological indicators of pollution in tissues of two species of fish. Five Clarius gariepinus and three Oreochromis mossambicus were collected from Umguza Dam (polluted dam) whilst seven C. gariepinus and eight O. mossambicus were collected from Wright Dam (relatively pristine dam). Diphosphotriphoshodiaphorase and catalase activities were consistently lower (42 ± 2% and 78 ± 20%, respectively) in liver whilst malondialdehyde levels were two times higher in muscles of both species of fish collected from Umguza Dam. However, selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPX) activity was elevated four-fold in liver and gills of O. mossambicus collected from Umguza Dam. Metal levels were two to five times higher in muscles of both species of fish collected from Umguza Dam. Fish from Umguza Dam seem to have responded to pollution by increasing Se-GPX specific activity in an effort to detoxify peroxides produced as a result of metal induced oxidative stress.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Almar M, Otero L, Santos C, Galego JG (1998) Liver glutathione content and glutathione dependent enzymes of two species of freshwater fish as bioindicators of chemical pollution. J Environ Sci Health B33:769–783

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bainy ACD, Saito E, Paulo SM, Carvalho V, Junqeira BC (1996) Oxidative stress in gill, erythrocytes, liver and kidney of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from a polluted site. Aquat Toxicol 34:151–156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buhler DR, Williams DE (1988) The role of biotransformation in the toxicity of chemicals. Aquat Toxicol 11:19–28

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clairborne A (1989) Catalase activity. In: Greenwald AR (ed) Handbook of methods of oxygen radical research. CRC Press, Florida, p 283

    Google Scholar 

  • Cossu C, Doyottea A, Babutb M, Exingerc A, Vasseura P (2000) Antioxidant biomarkers in freshwater bivalves, Unio tumidus, in response to different contamination profiles in aquatic sediments. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 45:106–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Draper H, Hadley M (1990) Malondialodehyde determination as an index of lipid peroxidation. Methods Enzymol 186B:421–431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ernster L, Dallner G (1995) Biochemical, physiological and medicinal aspects of ubiquinone function. Biochem Biophys Acta 1271:195–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Imlay JA (2003) Pathways of oxidative damage. Annu Rev Microbiol 57:395–418

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lind C, Cadenas E, Hochstein P, Ernster L (1990) DT-diaphorase purification. Methods Enzymol 186:287–301

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr A, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radi AAR, Marcovics B (1988) Effect of metal ions on the antioxidant enzyme activities, protein content and lipid peroxidation tissues of carp. Comp Biochem Physiol 90C:69–72

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues-Ariza A, Peinado J, Pueyo C, Lopez-Barea J (1993) Biochemical indicators of oxidative stress in fish from polluted littoral areas. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 50:2568–2573

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez W, Ait-Aissa S, Palluel O, Diche JM, Porcher JM (2007) Preliminary investigation of multi-biomarker responses in three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) sampled in contaminated streams. Ecotoxicology 16:279–287

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scholz RW, Cook LS, Todhunte DA (1981) Distribution of selenium dependent and non-selenium dependent glutathione peroxidase activity in tissue of young cattle. Am J Vet Res 42:1724–1729

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sturve J, Stephensen E, Forlin L (2005) Effect of redox cycling compounds on DT diaphorase activity in liver of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Comp Hepatol 4 [on line]. Accessed 15th Jan 2007

  • Sun Y, Oberley LW, Li Y (1988) A simple method for clinical assay of superoxide dismutase. Clin Chem 34:497–500

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tao S, Liu C, Dawson R, Long A, Xu F (2000) Uptake of cadmium adsorbed on particulates by gills of goldfish (Carassius auratus). Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 47:306–313

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Winston GW (1991) Oxidants and antioxidants in aquatic animals. Comp Biochem Physiol 100C:173–176

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from International Program of Chemical Sciences, Sweden and Research Board, National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe. The authors wish to thank the Bulawayo City Council and Mr Dave Wright for allowing them to collect samples from their Dams.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecotoxicology Research Group, Department of Applied Biology & Biochemistry, National University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 939, Ascot, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

    A. H. Siwela & C. B. Nyathi

  2. Department of Environmental Science & Health, National University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 939, Ascot, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

    Y. S. Naik

Authors
  1. A. H. Siwela
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. B. Nyathi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Y. S. Naik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. H. Siwela.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Siwela, A.H., Nyathi, C.B. & Naik, Y.S. Metal Accumulation and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in C. gariepinus, Catfish, and O. mossambicus, Tilapia, Collected from Lower Mguza and Wright Dams, Zimbabwe. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 83, 648–651 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-009-9861-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-009-9861-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation