Changes in liver enzyme levels under sub lethal concentrations of potassium dichromate in Epinephelus stolitzkae, Day 1875, of Oman Sea

The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of changes in liver enzymes in the plasma of Epinephelus stoliczkae under the exposure of different concentrations of potassium dichromate during 21days in vitro.

200 pieces of Epinephelus stoliczkae with average total length 29.6±2.2cm and average total weight389.5±92.4g were caught from the Oman Sea. Three treatments of 3.6, 7.31 and 14.6mg/L chromium(three replications and one control) were selected to sub-lethal toxicity test. The fish were exposed to chromium for 21 days and at 0.5, 1, 7, 14 and 21 days after the start of the experiment to measure the levels of liver enzymes aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and alkaline Phosphatase(ALP), blood was obtained from tail stems of fish. The amount of enzymes was measured using photometric method and values ​​were expressed inU/L.

The highest and lowest levels of liver enzymes in Epinephelus stoliczkae were: aspartate aminotransferase=198.16±6.21-298±10.28, alanine aminotransferase=38±2.56-81±2.19, alkanin phosphatase=118±4.21-177±2.7U/L.Over time, the amount of liver enzymes in different treatments increased compared to the control group and showed a statistically significant difference(P<0.05).For all three liver enzymes, the highest amount was recorded in the third treatment and 21 day and the lowest in the first treatment and time of 0.5 days.

In this experiment,liver enzymes increased in response to an increase of chromium concentration and duration of exposure, which could be due to damage the liver cells and release of liver enzymes into the plasma.In general, liver enzymes can be used as biomarkers of pollution in natural environments.