An Evaluation of Zinc Sulphate Toxicity on Protein, Amino Acid and Transaminase Levels in Freshwater Fish, Channa striata (bloch)

Background: Heavy metals may adversely affect the aquatic flora and fauna. Industrial effluents contributing heavy metals on entering into aquatic environment causes biochemical alterations in the fish. Heavy metals are natural components of the aquatic environment, but heavy metal levels have increased due to anthropogenic sources like industrial effluents, agricultural runoff and wastes of mining activities. All the pollutants affect the physicochemical characteristics of the water bodies, sediment and biological components and thus the quality and quantity of fish stocks. Methods: The present study was to assess the protein, amino acid, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase levels in muscle and liver tissues of Channa striata, exposure to sublethal (15, 20 and 30 mg/L) concentrations of zinc sulphate for the period of 10, 20, 30 and 40 days. Protein levels were estimated by Lowry et al. (1951). Method free amino acids were estimated by Moore and Stein (1954). Method the enzymes ALT and AST were estimated by the strategy of Rietman and Frankel (1957) as described by Bergmeyer (1965).Result: The fish exposed to zinc sulphate showed a decrease in the protein levels and increase in the amino acid, AST and ALT levels for 10, 20, 30 and 40 days in muscle and liver tissues. The observed mean data were statistically significant at P less than 0.05 of Student's ‘t’ test. The present study indicated alterations in biochemical parameters of Channa striata due to intoxication of zinc sulphate.