EFFECTS OF COPPER AND LEAD APPLIED SINGLY AND IN MIXTURE WITH CHITOSAN ON SOME SERA PARAMETERS OF Clarias gariepinus

Effects of copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) applied singly and in mixture with chitosan (CT) on sera aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanin aminotransferase (ALT) activities, glucose, total protein and cholesterol levels of Clarias gariepinus were studied after exposing the animals to 5.0 ppm Cu and 1.0 ppm Pb singly and in mixture with 75 ppm Chitosan over 1, 7 and 15 days. Sera parameters were measured using an auto analyzer and statistical evaluation of the experimental data was carried out by Variance Analysis and Student Newman Keul's Procedure (SNK). Abundant biosorbants such as chitin and chitosan are known to form stable complexes with many metal ions. Chitin is widely distributed in nature, especially in the exoskeletons of marine invertebrates such as prawn, crab and lobster whereas its derivative chitosan has reactive amino groups which forms complexes between metal ions and the polymer chain. No mortality was observed during the experiments. Exposure to Cu-CT mixture decreased sera glucose level at all exposure periods, sera cholesterol level on day 15, sera ALT activity on day 1 and sera total protein level on day 15 compare to Cu alone. Exposure to Pb-CT mixture decreased sera glucose, cholesterol levels and AST and ALT activities on day 15 compared with Pb alone. This might be due to chitosan has reactive amino groups which forms complexes between metal ions and the polymer chain.