Effects of cadmium on Gill Na, K-ATPase of the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulata (Decapoda, Grapsidae) during postmolt : In vivo and in vitro studies

Data for the evaluation of the impact of cadmium on branchial sodiums /potassium-ATPase activity from postmolt estuarine crab (Chasmagnathus granulata) are presented and represent a first step in global research on the effect of cadmium to C. granulata. Adult males collected from the beach at Faro San Antonio, the southern end of Samborombon bay, showed an LC50 value of 0.44 mg cadmium per litre. Sodium/potassium-ATPase activity was affected in a dose-dependent manner, although not statistically significant. The IC50 value for cadmium inhibition of the enzyme was reached at 21.6 mg cadmium per litre from in-vitro studies. In-vivo experiments indicated that cadmium had no effect on Vmax values so the capacity of gills to drive the hydrolysis of ATP remained unchanged. This was not the case in the in-vitro studies. The lethal effect of cadmium was not associated with gill sodium/potassium-ATPase inhibition.