THE EFFECTS OF IN-VIVO EXPOSURE TO CADMIUM, COPPER AND ZINC ON THE ACTIVITIES OF GILL ATPASES IN THE NORWAY LOBSTER, NEPHROPS-NORVEGICUS

Norway lobsters, Nephrops norvegicus were exposed for 18 days to combi nations of cadmium, copper and zinc st three sublethal concentrations (1, 5, 25 mu g/L for Cd and Cu, and 8, 40 and 200 mu g/L for Zn). Male animals were exposed to all three concentrations, while female animal s were studied only in one (highest) concentration of the metals. Acti vities of Na,K-ATPase and both oligomycin-sensitive and insensitive Mg -ATPase were investigated in relation to metal exposure. A group of ma le Nephrops of different size groups from a single location in the Cly de Sea was also sampled to investigate the relationship between size a nd ATPase activity. Cadmium concentrations increased significantly wit h increases in exposure concentrations in both male and female animals , whereas copper and zinc increased significantly only in the highest treatment in males. There was no significant difference in concentrati ons of the metals in control male and female animals, whereas males ac cumulated significantly higher levels of copper and zinc in the highes t concentrations of the metals. Control males showed higher activity o f Na,K-ATPase than control females. Na,K-ATPase activity was significa ntly inhibited in male animals exposed to metals whereas in female ani mals there was only a significant inhibition in total Mg-ATPase activi ty. Na,K-ATPase activity had a negative relationship with copper in ma les, while in treated females this ATPase had positive relationship wi th zinc and copper. There were negative relationships between the acti vities of Na,KAT-Pase and oligomycin sensitive Mg-ATPase with carapace length of the animals.