Studies on the influence of certain heavy metals on acid phosphatase activities [in rats]

• Published in: Korean Journal of Zoology (Korea R.) Vol. 23; no. 2
• Main Authors: Choe, R.S, Kang, Y.H, Kim, W.S. (Yonsei Univ., Seoul (Korea R.). Dept. of Biology)
• Format: Publication
• Language: English
• Published: 01.04.1980

Mice were dosed with HgCl (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg body weight) and CdCl2 (10, 15 and 20 mg/kg body weight) by abdominal injection. Acid phosphatase activities of the liver at 24, 48 and 72 hours following the injection were measured by the Mundry colorimetric method using disodium p-nitrophenyl phosphate as the substrate. The enzyme activities measured were 3.47 mg Pi/ml/0.5 hr respectively following the injection of 20 mg/kg body weight of the mercury compound, as compared with the activity of 8.3 mg Pi/ml/0.5 hr for the control. With the cadmium treatment, about 50% of the animals injected with 10 mg/kg body weight, and none of the animals injected with 15 and 20 mg/kg body weight, survived. Of the surviving animals, the sublethal concentration of cadmium was shown to activate the enzyme; the activities at 24, 48 and 72 hr following the injection were around 11.2 mg Pi/ml/0.5 hr as compared with 8.63 mg Pi/0.5 hr for the control