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Assessment of biochemical components and enzyme activities in the estuarine crab Scylla tranquebarica from naphthalene contaminated habitants

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Abstract

To document the impact of naphthalene, a comparative toxicological research was performed in the estuarine crab Scylla tranquebarica habitant of Ennore creek (polluted site) and Kovalam creek (pristine site) for a period of 6 months. The biochemical constituents, such as protein, carbohydrate, lipid and enzyme activities like acid and alkaline phosphatase, aspartate and alanine transaminase were analysed in hepatopancreas, heamolymph and ovary of the female crabs collected from the two creeks. The results revealed that there was a significant measurable difference in these parameters in the tissues of crabs sampled from the polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) polluted site (Ennore creek) when compared with the reference site (Kovalam creek). In addition naphthalene was detected in gill, hepatopancrease, heamolymph and ovary of the crabs sampled from the polluted creek. The results indicate that the indicators selected for toxic impact in S. tranquebarica may be related to the uptake of naphthalene in the tissues examined and support the feasibility of employing these types of analyses as biochemical biomarkers for PAH contaminant-exposed organisms.

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  1. K. Vijayavel

    Present address: Pacific Biosciences Research Center, Kewalo Marine Laboratory, 41 Ahui Street, Honolulu, Hawaii , 96813, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Environmental Toxicology, Dr. ALM––Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani, Chennai , 600 113, Tamil Nadu, India

    K. Vijayavel, C. Anbuselvam & M. P. Balasubramanian

  2. Department of Biology, Eritrean Institute of Technology, Ministry of Education, PO Box 1245, Asmara, State of Eritrea, North East Africa

    V. Deepak Samuel

  3. Institute for Ocean Management, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, Tamil Nadu, India

    S. Gopalakrishnan

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  1. K. Vijayavel
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  2. C. Anbuselvam
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  3. M. P. Balasubramanian
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  4. V. Deepak Samuel
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  5. S. Gopalakrishnan
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Correspondence to K. Vijayavel.

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Vijayavel, K., Anbuselvam, C., Balasubramanian, M.P. et al. Assessment of biochemical components and enzyme activities in the estuarine crab Scylla tranquebarica from naphthalene contaminated habitants. Ecotoxicology 15, 469–476 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-006-0082-4

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