NTU Undergraduates' research April 2014 - Biosciences | Page 90

Mechanism of Zinc toxicity to Fresh
Water Shrimps: Gammarus Pulex
Kunwar, E.
Nottingham Trent Universit, Cliffton campus, UK.

Abstract
Contamination by heavy metals to aquatic environment has three main effects which
exhibit neurological damage, behavioural change and reproductive defects to the
inhabitants. Invertebrates in the aquatic environment ingest and accumulate these
heavy metals and can develop toxicity. G.pulex was exposed to a range of 0.01mg/ml,
0.1mg/ml, 1mg/ml and 10mg/ml zinc in vitro and in vivo and subsequently LC50 test
was carried out and their homogenised samples were tested for effects on GST level,
mitochondrial activity, AChE activity, TBARS level and protein concentration. Zinc LC50
was determined to be 1.78mg/L zinc via Trimmed Spearman Carber. Inhibitory effects
on GST and TBAR level were seen along with reduction in cell viability and AChE activity.
Toxicity inducing zinc concentration appeared to vary on different cells of the G.pulex.
More research is required to get a better understanding with careful approach to the
techniques involved to allow significant results.

Key words: Toxicity, LC50, GST, MTT, Acetlycholinesterase, G.pulex, Zinc