ZINC AND CADMIUM INDUCED CHANGES IN THE PROTEOLYTIC AND AMYLOLYTIC ENZYME ACTIVITY IN INDIAN MAJOR CARPS

Abstract

The present study was conducted during 2012 to investigate the individual and combined effect of heavy metals (Zinc and Cadmium) on proteolytic and amylolytic enzyme activity of most commonly cultured fish species of Indian major carps; Labeorohita, Catlacatlaand Cirrhinusmrigalaat three doses i.e. 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 ppm, respectively. The effect on respective enzyme activities was found in a dose dependent manner. Cd and Zn treatments (0.06 ppm) showed a maximum reduction of 15.21 and 8.84% over control in the proteolytic activity in L. rohita out of the three tested fish species. Likewise, the amylolytic activities showed maximum reduction in C. mrigalawith a decrease of 19.40 and 13.43% over control subjected to the same treatments, respectively. The enzyme activity depicted maximum reduction (20.40% in proteolytic activity in C. catla and 38.8% in amylolytic activity in C. mrigala) under heavy metal treatment in combination Cd+Zn (0.06+0.06 ppm). The results thus reveal that Cadmium and Zinc in aquatic environments could significantly (Pd”0.05) reduce enzyme activity in the aquatic fauna thus constituting a core group of aquatic pollutants.