Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the concentrations of metallothionein (MT) in giant mudskippers Periophthalmodon schlosseri (P. schlosseri) and to elucidate their potential use in bio monitoring of coastal environment. Methods: The giant mudskippers were collected from four sampling sites on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and analyzed for heavy metals – Cu, Zn and Cd, and MT concentrations in liver, gills and muscle by using an air-acetylene flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer, Perkin Elmer Analyst 800 and UV-Visible Recording Spectrophotometer Shimadzu UV-160 A Model, respectively. Results: One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Duncan multiple comparisons of the measured metals and MT concentrations in the liver, gills and muscle of P. schlosseri were statistically significant (P < 0.05) between the sampling sites. Non-significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed between Cu concentrations in the gills and Cd concentration in the liver, gills, and muscle at all the four sampling sites. Zn concentration in the tissues was significantly different (P < 0.05) among the sampling sites. Statistically significant positive correlation (P < 0.05; r = 0.583) and negative correlation (P < 0.01; r = –0.737) were observed between MT concentration in muscle with Cu and Zn concentrations in muscle, respectively. Conclusions: The highest MT concentrations were found at sampling sites that mostly showed low metals concentrations in the tissues. The use of MT induction in P. schlosseri as a valuable biochemical tool for assessment of metals bioavailability and environmental impact needs further research to explore its feasibility as a biomarker of metal exposure.

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