Mercuric chloride intoxication in freshwater prawn. II. Effect on phosphatases activity.

The effects of mercuric chloride intoxication on the activities of acid and alkaline phosphatases and glucose-6-phosphatase in the hepatopancreas of a freshwater prawn Macrobrachium lamarrei (H. Milne Edwards) were determined after 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr. Mercuric chloride intoxication resulted in elevation of acid phosphatase and inhibition of alkaline phosphatase activities, but glucose-6-phosphatase activity was elevated up to 72 hr after which (i.e., after 96 hr of exposure) inhibition in the enzyme activity was noted at two higher concentrations. Alterations in the activities of these enzymes after mercuric chloride intoxication have been shown to adversely affect the general metabolism of the freshwater prawn.