A STUDY ON BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN THE FRESHWATER MUSSEL LAMELLIDENS MARGINALIS EXPOSED TO SUB-LETHAL CONCENTRATIONS OF AN ORGANOPHOSPHORUS INSECTICIDE, CHLORPYRIFOS

摘要

The freshwater mussel Lamellidens marginalis was exposed to sub-lethal concentration (5ppm) of an organophosphorus insecticide, chlorpyrifos for 30 days and allowed to recover for seven days. Alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), aspartate aminotransferase (AAT), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), were assayed in plasma and different tissues at regular intervals of day and after recovery period of seven days. The ALAT and AAT activities were increased in plasma and muscle, where as hepatopancreas and gill showed decrease. AChE activity was observed in gill, muscle and hepatopancreas, and reduction of 73% was observed in hepatopancreas. There was a significant recovery in all the above biochemical parameters studied in plasma and different tissues, after seven days recovery period. These results revealed that chlorpyrifos affects the intermediary metabolism of Lamellidens marginalis and that the assayed enzymes can work as good biomarkers of organophosphorus contamination.