EFFECT OF ARSENIC ON SERUM BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF A FRESH WATER CAT FISH, MYSTUS VITTATUS

The present investigation has been designed to study the effect of sublethal concentrations (10% and 30%) of heavy metal, arsenic on the serum metabolites, serum enzyme activity and serum electrolytes of Mystus vittatus after exposure to 30 days. The present study shows that serum metabolites such as glucose, protein and bilirubin were significantly decreased while free amino acid, triglyceride and cholesterol were significantly increased; serum enzymes such as acid phosphatase (ACP), transminases (SGPT & SGOT) were increased significantly while alkaline phosphatase (ALP), was decreased significantly; serum electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and calcium were decreased significantly but chloride was increased significantly. Thus, this paper gives an overview of the manipulation of fish, Mystus vittatus as a biomarker of heavy metals through alternation in biochemical parameters.