Metallothionein biosynthesis as a detoxification mechanism in mercury exposure in fish, spotted scat (Scatophagus argus).

It is of crucial importance to study on the biomarkers types to assess the specification of the pollutants and health status of marine ecosystems in environmental evaluation projects. In this respect, total metallothionein biosynthesis and mercury bioaccumulation in the liver and gills under acute mercury exposure were investigated in fish, Scat (Scatophagus argus). Spotted scat was exposed to different mercury concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30) for 24, 48, 72 h. Total MT levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Mercury contents were determined through cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). Induction of MT during exposure was tissue specific, displaying different response pattern in gills and liver. Mercury accumulated in liver much higher than in gills and the latter also showed lower MT level (P<0.05). MT biosynthesis in liver showed a significant (P<0.05) increase after exposure to different mercury concentration with increase in exposure time, whereas total MT content did not significantly (P>0.05) change in gills except for 72 h exposure at 30 μg l(-1). Nonetheless, the relationship between MT biosynthesis and Mercury bioaccumulation in both tissues was significant (P<0.05). The results suggest that this form of MT in S. argus was Hg inducible and could be extended as a biomarker of mercury pollution in marine ecosystems.