Chromium toxicity to a freshwater prawn Macrobrachium lamarrei (h.m. edwards)

Toxicology Letters,

18 (1983) 257-261

257

Elsevier

CHROMIUM

TOXICITY

MACROBRACHIUM

TO A FRESHWATER

LAMARREI

(Potassium lamarrei)

dichromate;

RAM MURTI,

OMKAR

acute

toxicity;

PRAWN

EDWARDS)

haemolymph

Macrobrachium

glucose;

and G.S. SHUKLA

Pollution Relevant Research Laboratory, Gorakhpur

(H.M.

Department

of Zoology,

University of Gorakhpur,

273001 (India)

(Received

March

(Revision

received

24th,

(Accepted

April 25th,

1983)

April

19th, 1983)

1983)

SUMMARY Experiments

were carried

to Macrobrachium haemolymph

glucose

and 1.84 mg/l, but thereafter haemolymph mortality

out to determine

lamarrei (M. Edwards) level of the animal.

respectively. an increase glucose

of organisms

Exposure

the effect

toxicity

of potassium

of acute

dichromate

and sub-acute

(KzCrzOi)

concentrations

on

The LCSO values for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h were 5.44, 3.69, 2.47

of KzCrzO,

in haemolymph

level decreased

the short-term and

glucose

decreased

the haemolymph

level was observed

after 96 h. The effects of K&k07

glucose

that continued in relation

level up to 24 h up to 72 h. The

to these changes

and

were also discussed.

INTRODUCTION

Salts of various heavy metals are being discharged in ever-increasing amounts into the aquatic environment from mining operations, metal-processing facilities, chromium industries and numerous other sources [l-3]. Among various heavy metals, chromium is an important water pollutant extensively used in chrome plating, tanning and as a corrosion inhibitor in cooling-tower operations. Hexavalent chromium is a powerful oxidant which can easily penetrate the biological membranes and irritate cells. Although the acute and chronic toxicities of chromium compounds for a number of aquatic organisms have been studied by various workers [4-91, no work seems to have been done on the toxicity of chromium salts to freshwater prawn. M. lamarrei, a freshwater prawn, is abundantly available in local water sources and is the food of various aquatic organisms. They are also used by the population as a protein-rich source of food. In view of the possible hazards of chromium salts and the importance of 0378-4274/83/S

03.00

0 Elsevier

Science

Publishers

B.V.

freshwater

prawn,

of KZCr207 laboratory

the present

to M. lamarrei after conditions.

of K&-z07 MATERIALS

experiments

Further

on haemolymph AND

were designed

to assess the LCso values

24, 48, 72 and 96 h of exposure

experiments glucose

were carried

under

out to examine

stable

the effect

level.

METHODS

Specimens of M. lamarrei were collected from Ramgarh Lake and acclimatized for 3 days to laboratory conditions in large plastic containers. The stock solution of KZCr207 was prepared by dissolving 1 g of KZCr207 in 1 1 of double-distilled water. A series of 6 concentrations (toxic range determined by exploratory tests) were prepared from the stock on the day of exposure in 10 1 dechlorinated tap water (pH 7.4 + 0.3; dissolved oxygen 7.5 f 0.5 mg/l, total hardness as CaCO3 110.82 -t 3.24 mg/l and temperature 25 f l.S’C) and kept in plastic containers of 15 1 capacity. 10 Healthy prawns of average size (length 62 f 1.5 cm, weight 1.5 f 0.1 g) were transferred to each test container. One container of 10 1 dechlorinated tap water was used for control. Compressed air was supplied continuously in all the test containers by submerged diffusers (2.5 cm3). The solutions of each container were changed by fresh solutions of the respective concentrations after each 24 h. The behavioural responses of prawn to K2Cr207 were observed and dead specimens were removed regularly from the test solutions. The ‘Standard Methods’ of APHA, AWWA and WPCF [lo] were followed for the analysis of tap water and acute toxicity bioassays. The experiment was replicated 3 times. The mortality was recorded after each 24 h period and the obtained data subjected to statistical calculations to ascertain the values of LC25, LGo, LC75 and 95% confidence limits by the method of Coulden [ 111. The changes in haemolymph glucose level were determined after exposure to acute (96 h LC~O) and two sub-acute (0.4 and 0.8 of 96 h L&O) concentrations of K2Cr207 and for this Nelson-Somogyi’s method as given by Oser [12] was followed. Six replicates of each experiment were performed. The method of [ 131 was employed

Campbell

trol and experimental

TABLE VALUES

to estimate

the significance

of differences

between

con-

values.

I OF LC25,

OF K2Cr20;

LCs,,,

LC,:

AND

TO MACROBRACHIUM

95%

CONFIDENCE

LAMARREI

(H.M.

LIMITS

OF LCq,

FOR

THE

TOXICITY

EDWARDS)

Exposure

LC25

LCSO

LC7T

95%

period

mm

(w/I)

(w/I)

limits of LCro

(h)

Confidence

(mg/l)

24

3.12

5.44

9.50

4.27-6.62

48

2.12

3.69

6.43

2.85-4.53

72

1.21

2.47

5.38

1.64-3.23

96

1.08

1.84

3.15

1.35-2.34

259

RESULTS

Shortly after the transfer showed erratic swimming.

of prawns to the test solutions, they became excited and After the excitation phase, they lost their balance and

settled to the bottom of container, where they remained death a change in their colour from translucent brown

and ultimately died. Before to white was observed; this

became more apparent after death. Values of LCZS, LC~O, LC75 and 95% confidence limits of LCSO after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h are given in Table I. The data show that there is an inverse relationship between L&O values and exposure period. Data presented in Table II indicate that KzCr207 has a marked effect on haemolymph glucose level of M. lamarrei. The haemolymph glucose level decreased significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) after 24 h while after 48 h significant (P < 0.05) elevation was recorded in the acute concentration haemolymph glucose level after 72 h was significant

of K2Cr207. The elevation in in all 3 concentrations. After

96 h of exposure to K2Cr207, the haemolymph glucose significant (P < 0.05)only in the acute concentration.

level further

declined,

DISCUSSION

The toxicity of K2Cr207 is determined by static bioassay experiments in the laboratory in the form of LCSO values. Dowden and Bennett [14] pointed out that the use of LCX, as a starting point in the studies of sublethal effects will be their most significant contribution. Bridges [15] concluded that acute toxicity appears at higher concentrations in fields other than the laboratory. Fales [16] studied the in-

TABLE

II

EFFECT

OF

K#&07

BRACHIUM

EXPOSURES

LAMARREI

Concentration

of

(H.M.

Exposure

W&07

ON

HAEMOLYMPH

GLUCOSE

LEVEL

OF

MACRO-

EDWARDS)

period

(h)

24

48

12

96

Control

44.34 + 2.22a

44.58 + 2.41

44.51 k2.28

44.80+ 2.34

0.74

31.22+2.16*’ (- 115.06)~

49.84 k 2.40 (+ 11.80)

53.45 + 2.21’

40.38k

( + 20.09)

(-9.87)

(m&l)

1.47 1.84

?Jalues

(mean

haemolymph

33.28 rt 2.08**

51.28k2.45

57.62 +2.32**

38.14k2.28

(-24.90)

(+ 15.03)

(+ 29.45)

(- 14.87)

31.12rt2.12** (- 29.82)

52.82 + 2.48* (+ 18.48)

61.55 -t2.35*** (+38.28)

34.99 + 2.30*

+ SE) expressed

bin parentheses:

% change

glucose

*, ** and *** indicate

2.32

(-21.90)

in mg/ 100 ml haemolymph.

from

control;

+ and

-

signs indicate

% increase

and

decrease

level. values significant

at P
P
and P
respectively.

in the

260

fluence

of temperature

tion to physiological that

its toxicity

Similar

and salinity changes

increases

on the capacity

in the grass shrimp,

with increase

of hexavalent

chromium

in rela-

Palaemonates pugio and reported

in temperature

and

decrease

in salinity.

results

Lepomis

have also been reported for the toxicity of KzCrzO, to bluegill, macrochirus [17]. Bioassay results are highly variable and influenced by

a number of factors; nevertheless, the determination of acute toxicity of chemicals has been recommended by NAE/NAS [ 181 for developing water quality criteria. A comparison of L&O values of KzCrz07 with LCSO values of other metallic salts like mercuric chloride and cadmium chloride (R. Murti and G.S. Shukla, unpublished data), and copper sulphate and zinc sulphate [19], determined for M. lamarrei under similar laboratory conditions, reveal that K2CrZ07 is more toxic than zinc sulphate, whereas it is less toxic than the other three salts. The haemolymph glucose level decreased after 24 h exposure of KzCrzO, indicating increased utilization of glucose in the energy-generating process due to stress imposed by the toxicant. Decreased haemolymph glucose level in turn induces the break-down of glycogen reserves and therefore a rise in glucose level was observed after 48 and 72 h. Sastry and Tyagi [20] studied the biochemical changes in a freshwater teleost Channa punctatus exposed to KzCr2.0, and observed elevation in blood glucose and lactic acid levels while liver glycogen was depleted and muscle glycogen was increased. They suggested that elevation of blood glucose may be due to acceleration in the rate of glycogenolysis which may be correlated to the increase in muscle glycogen. Decrease in haemolymph glucose level after 96 h may be due to inhibition in the activity of enzymes involved in the process of glycogenolysis. This view might be supported by the findings of the authors (R.M., 0. and G.S.S., unpublished data) as an inhibition in glucose-6-phosphatase activity was observed after 72 h exposure of mercuric chloride to prawns. Nagabhushanam and Kulkarni [21] observed an inverse relation between blood glucose and midgut gland glycogen content of the freshwater prawn M. kistnensis after exposure to some heavy metal pollutants up to 72 h but later they observed a decrease in glycogen content as well as blood glucose level, similar to our results. Thus, alterations in haemolymph glucose level indicate a general disturbance in carbohydrate metabolism which might have an adverse effect on the life of the organisms. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Two of the authors (Ram Murti and Omkar) are grateful Commission, New Delhi, for financial assistance.

to the University

Grants

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