Studies on the Seasonal Changes in Antioxidant Enzymes Activity on Differently, Polluted Areas along the Bay of Bengal Employing Perna viridis as an Animal Model

Antioxidants are the innate or acquired molecules capable of slowing down or preventing the oxidative damage (damage due to reactive oxygen species) that caused by free radicals. The antioxidant enzyme activity in response to season as well as hydrocarbon pollution was attempted. Rayapuram fishing harbor of Chennai (Station-1) is highly oil contaminated with oil sleeks on the surface. The relatively moderate oil contaminated area (Station-2) is about 2 km away from the fishing harbor and the least contaminated Vellar estuary Parangipettai (Station-3) was considered as the reference site. The 2 year (2005-2007) observation was recorded seasonally; the antioxidant activity varied seasonally and organally (digestive gland, gill and mantle) in the marine green mussel Perna viridis. The common antioxidant enzymes such as Catalase (CAT), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione Reductase (GR) activity were evaluated. The CAT and SOD are responded well with seasons (i.e., monsoon, pre-monsoon, post-monsoon and summer seasons). During monsoon period, both CAT and SOD activity are very low in all the Stations, in both pre-monsoon and post-monsoon period their activity were moderate and higher enzyme activity was noted during summer season. On contrary, the GR activity was noted as very low during summer and very high during pre or post monsoon and the activity was moderate during monsoon period. In addition the GR activity respond to temperature also but the other antioxidants CAT and SOD yielded no detectable activity. Among the organs liver showed higher CAT and SOD activity when compared to gill and mantle but the GR exhibited the increased activity in gill but not in liver.