Biochemical changes induced by mercury in the liver of penaeid prawns <i style="">Penaeus</i> <i style="">indicus </i>and <i style="">P. monodon </i>(Crustacea : Penaeidae) from Rushikulya estuary, east coast of India

Abstract

The biochemical components viz. protein, lipid and carbohydrate of the liver of two important penaeid prawns were significantly reduced, following six days of exposure to 0.005 ppm and 0.01 ppm of mercuric chloride during various reproductive stages i.e. preparatory, prespawning, spawning, and postspawning. Liver protein recorded highest in contrast to lipid and carbohydrate irrespective of the species, sex and medium of exposure. Depletion percentage with respect to control for protein was less compared to lipid and carbohydrate and the maximum depletion was at 0.01 ppm Hg medium. The effect of mercury was more in <i style="">Penaeus indicus </i>than that of <i style="">Penaeus monodon</i>, the female species and prespawning stage. Liver-lipid deleteriously affected the female <i style="">P. indicus</i> during spawning while carbohydrate affected it prominently during preparatory stage. Hg concentration of 0.01 ppm had much damaging effect on liver. The change caused due to test solutions in the biochemical constituents of the liver of the prawns indicate that female had more affected than male.