The effects of in vivo exposure to cadmium, copper and zinc on the activities of gill ATPases in the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus.

Norway lobsters, Nephrops norvegicus were exposed for 18 days to combinations of cadmium, copper and zinc at three sublethal concentrations (1, 5, 25 micrograms/L for Cd and Cu, and 8, 40 and 200 micrograms/L for Zn). Male animals were exposed to all three concentrations, while female animals were studied only in one (highest) concentration of the metals. Activities of Na,K-ATPase and both oligomycin-sensitive and insensitive Mg-ATPase were investigated in relation to metal exposure. A group of male Nephrops of different size groups from a single location in the Clyde Sea was also sampled to investigate the relationship between size and ATPase activity. Cadmium concentrations increased significantly with increases in exposure concentrations in both male and female animals, whereas copper and zinc increased significantly only in the highest treatment in males. There was no significant difference in concentrations of the metals in control male and female animals, whereas males accumulated significantly higher levels of copper and zinc in the highest concentrations of the metals. Control males showed higher activity of Na,K-ATPase than control females. Na,K-ATPase activity was significantly inhibited in male animals exposed to metals whereas in female animals there was only a significant inhibition in total Mg-ATPase activity. Na,K-ATPase activity had a negative relationship with copper in males, while in treated females this ATPase had positive relationship with zinc and copper. There were negative relationships between the activities of Na,K-ATPase and oligomycin sensitive Mg-ATPase with carapace length of the animals.