IRAWATI MEI WIDIASTUTI*, ACHMAD RIZAL AND AGOES SOEGIANTO,**
Aquaculture Program, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Fishery, Tadulako University, Jl. Soekarno, Hatta km 9, 94118, Palu, Indonesia
*(email : irakarno88@gmail.com; Mobile : +62 82189714088; **e-mail : agoes_soegianto@unair.ac.id; Mobile :
+62 81335753862)
ABSTRACT
Mercury absorbed by an organism’s body causes oxidative stress and disturbance of the balance between oxidants and antioxidants in cells. The objective of this study was to determine the levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in Limnodrillus hoffmeisteri exposed to mercury. The L. hoffmeisteri as test animals was exposed to various doses of mercury : K (0%), A (12.5%), B (25%), C (37.5%), D (50%) and E (100%). ROS levels were measured using spectrophotometric methods, while MDA, SOD, CAT and GPx levels used assay kits. The results showed that the highest levels of ROS, SOD, CAT and GPx at 100% mercury exposure (75.3±6.3 U/ml; 15.8±0.04 U/ml; 3.9±0.1 U/l and 3277.8±291.8 U/l) and the lowest in unexposed worms (1.3±0.2 U/ml; 0.5±0.3 U/l and 349.6±124.5 U/l). However, MDA levels at 100% showed
the lowest levels (628.3±1.2 nmol/g). Exposure to 100% was significantly different compared to other doses. ROS, SOD and CAT levels at 50% did not differ from 100%. When mercury levels in the worm’s body were high, ROS levels increased and the body produced SOD, CAT and GPx so that MDA levels decreased
Key words : Antioxidant, mercury, Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri, reactive oxygen species (ROS)