Effect of cadmium chloride on glycogen level in some organs of freshwater bivalve, Lamellidens marginalis

The aim of the present study was to assess the glycogen content in different body parts i.e. mantle, gill, gonad, hepatopancreas, siphon, foot, anterior adductor muscle and posterior adductor muscle of freshwater bivalve mussel, Lamellidens marginalis exposed to lethal concentrations of cadmium chloride after 96 hrs acute toxicity of exposure. The results showed that glycogen content was significantly disturbed in all the body parts of Lamellidens marginalis studied after exposure to cadmium chloride (LC0 & LC50). The disturbance in the glycogen level is one of the outstanding biochemical lesions due to the action of cadmium. There is a significant decrease in glycogen profiles in different body parts after exposure to lethal concentration of cadmium under stress conditions. This might be due to increase in glycogenolysis by increase in phosphorylase enzyme activity and elevation of succinate and pyruvate dehydrogenase leading to anaerobic metabolism during anoxic stress conditions caused by toxicant. Hence, glycogen content as biomarker of cadmium stress in bivalve mollusks can be used.