Journal of Environmental Biology

Assessment of Clarias batrachus as a source of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) for the detection of insecticides

 

L.G. Tham, N. Perumal, M.A. Syed, N.A. Shamaan and M.Y. Shukor*

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences,

University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

(Received: December 18, 2007; Revised received: June 10, 2008; Accepted: June 20, 2008)

Abstract: An inhibitive assay of insecticides using Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from the local fish Clarias batrachus is reported. AChE was assayed according to the modified method of Ellman. Screening of insecticide and heavy metals showed that carbofuran and carbaryl strongly inhibited C. batrachus AChE. The inhibition concentration (IC) IC₅₀ values (and the 95% confidence interval) for both carbofuran and carbaryl inhibition on C. batrachus AChE at 6.66 (5.97-7.52) and 130.00 (119.3-142.5) mg l^-1, respectively, was within the IC₅₀ range of Electrophorus electricus at 6.20 (6.03-6.39) and 133.01 (122.40-145.50) mg l^-1, respectively, and were much lower than bovine AChE at 20.94 (19.53-22.58) and 418.80 (390.60-451.60) mg l^-1, respectively. The results showed that C. batrachus have the potential to be used as a cheaper and more readily available source of AChE than other more commercially available sources.

Key words: C. batrachus, AChE, Carbamate

Copyright ? 2009 Triveni Enterprises. All rights reserved. No part of the Journal can be reproduced in any form without prior permission. Responsibility regarding the authenticity of the data, and the acceptability of the conclusions enforced or derived, rest completely with the author(s).