Effects of vegetable oil factory effluent on the levels of phosphatases and dehydrogenases in the liver and kidney of the freshwater teleost Channa punctatus (BL.)

Abstract

A significant decline in the activity of acid and alkaline phosphatases and of succinic (SDH) and lactate (LDH) dehydrogenases was recorded both in liver and kidney of Channa punctatus at 7 days following exposure to a sublethal concentration (25%) of vegetable oil factory effluent. Further, it was noticed that the significant decline in activity continued until the experiment was terminated, i.e. 42 days. The decline in activity of acid and alkaline phosphatases suggests a direct action of the effluent on the enzyme system and impairment of the lysosomal metabolism, whereas the decrease in SDH and LDH activity indicates inhibition of both aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways, possibly associated with the low rate of metabolism in both liver and kidney following exposure of fish to sublethal concentrations of the effluent.