Heavy metal accumulations in water, sediment, and some cyprinid species in Porsuk Stream (Turkey).

Porsuk Stream is one of Turkey's most important river systems and also one of the most important branches of the Sakarya River. It provides drinking and utility water for two Turkish cities (Kütahya and Eskisehir) with a total population of one million. In this study, water, sediment, and some tissues (liver, gill, and muscle) of five cyprinid fish species were collected seasonally (2010-2011) from eight stations on the Porsuk Stream, and the zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) levels of collected samples were determined. The data observed were evaluated with national and international quality criteria. Based on the data observed, it was determined that the Porsuk Stream is affected by significant inorganic pollution from the Kütahya and Eskisehir Provinces. It was also determined that the Porsuk Dam Lake has an important cleaning capacity and that the water and sediment quality of the Porsuk Stream improves after the output of the dam lake.

The effect of arsenic on some antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation in various tissues of mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio).

The effect of arsenic bioaccumulation in liver, kidney, skin, muscle, and intestinal tissues of mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio) was investigated on lipid peroxidation and certain antioxidant enzyme activities. In this study, three aquarium groups were formed from mirror carp: control group, 0.5-, and 1-mg/L arsenic concentrations. The fish were dissected after 1 month. Arsenic bioaccumulation, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activities were determined in the tissues. Results showed that arsenic was accumulated in liver, kidney, muscle, skin, and intestinal tissues. As the final product of lipid peroxidation, MDA levels were determined to have increased in all tissues with the exception of muscle. On the other hand, CAT and SOD enzyme activities in the fish tissues were decreased as compared to the control group. In the muscle tissue, differences were observed in the enzyme activities depending on arsenic concentration. Considering the increases in enzyme inhibition and MDA levels, liver was observed to be the main tissue affected in response to the arsenic toxicity.

The comparison of heavy metal accumulation ratios of some fish species in Enne Dame Lake (Kütahya/Turkey).

The metal accumulation levels for muscle, skin, gill, liver and intestine tissues of some Cyprinidae species (Carassius carassius, Condrostoma nasus, Leuciscus cephalus and Alburnus alburnus) in Enne Dame Lake (Kütahya/Turkey), which is mostly fed by hot spring waters, were investigated. Analyses were performed for copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), magnesium (Mg), nickel (Ni), chrome (Cr) and boron (B) using inductively coupled plasma-optic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and cadmium (Cd) using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) utilizing microwave digestion techniques. The concentrations of the heavy metals found in the fish varied in the follow ing ranges: Cu: < DL-7.04, Zn: 6.96-357.25, Mn: < DL-20.70, Ni: < DL-6.21, Fe: 9.62-2500.33, Cr: < DL-1.74, Co: < DL-0.54, Cd: 0.01-0.27 and Mg: 197.44-904.90 mg/kg wet weight. While B had the second highest concentration in the water of the lake, it was not encountered in any tissue of the investigated species. In all tissues and the species, While the bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of Mn, Zn, Fe and Cu were remarkably high, the BAFs of Mg, Cr, Co, and B were also fairly low or none. Although the heavy metal accumulation levels for the muscle were generally lower than other tissues, there were some exceptions. Cd level in the muscle of C. carassius was higher than the permissible limit stated by Turkish legislation, FAO and WHO. The mean metal amounts for all the investigated tissues and species are statistically compared and discussed in this study.

Influence of dietary oils on liver and blood lipid peroxidation.

OBJECTIVE: Diets high in unsaturated fatty acids have been recommended to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, these lipids are more susceptible to lipid peroxidation than saturated fatty acids. The aim of the present study described herein was to investigate the effects of dietary oils (differing in their degree of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids) on liver and blood lipid peroxidation in chicks. METHODS: The experiments were conducted at the laboratories of University of Dumlupinar, Kutahya, Turkey and Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey between November 2002 and December 2003. The animals were randomly divided into 5 groups of 30 and fed dietary butter, margarine, olive oil, sunflower oil or corn oil for 7 weeks. Liver malondialdehyde level, blood superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase activity (GPx), serum vitamin E, and total antioxidant (AOA) levels were measured to determine the effects of the dietary oils on lipid peroxidation. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in SOD and GPx activities, or vitamin E and AOA levels between the experimental groups. However, the results indicated that the corn oil feeding caused significant increases in liver malondialdehyde (a genotoxic byproduct of lipid peroxidation) level as compared with the other oils. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that corn oil feeding increases lipid peroxidation significantly and thus may raise the susceptibility of tissues to free radical oxidative damage.