PARENT SESSION
18 - Endocrine Disruption
8:00 AM to 6:30 PM, Monday, 13 May 2002
Exhibition Area

(18-36) Effects of metals on hydrolytic enzymes determinant for the Carcinus maenas reproduction.

Elumalai, Muniyandi^*,1, Antunes, Carlos¹, Guilhermino, Lucia¹, ¹ Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Porto, Portugal.

ABSTRACT- Copper and chromium are widely used in industrial and tanneries processes and these metals enter into the aquatic systems. They are known to affect the normal functions of aquatic organisms. Phosphatases and esterases play a significant role in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, respectively. In this study, we investigated the acute exposure of copper, chromium and mixtures of both metals on non-specific esterases, acid and alkaline phosphatases of the ovary in marine crab Carcinus maenas. The results showed that copper, chromium and mixtures of both metals significantly inhibit non-specific esterases and ovarian alkaline phosphatases after an in vivo exposure of 96 hr while significantly increasing ovarian acid phosphatases activity. Furthermore, the mixtures tested showed a more pronounced effect than individual chemicals. Our results suggest that copper, chromium and mixtures of these metals interfere with the carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and affect the ovarian functions in Carcinus maenas. Acknowledgements. This work was supported by "Fundacao Para e a Ciencia e Technologia" (Project contract: PDCTM/MAR/15266/99). M.Elumalai has a Pos-Doc fellowship from FCT (SFRH/BPD/1529/2000).

Key words: Copper , Chromium, Carcinus maenas, Phosphatases and esterases