Acute Toxic Effects of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Sediment on Maoctra veneriformis and Its Antioxidant Enzyme Activities

Abstract

Abstract In order to clarify the toxic effects of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments on bivalve mollusks, the acute toxicity and effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on antioxidant enzyme activities were studied using Maoctra veneriformis as a test organism. Our results showed that the health status of the Maoctra veneriformis gradually weakened with the increase of exposure time and concentration of petroleum hydrocarbon, and mortality occurred in the high-concentration group at the end of the exposure. The activities of peroxidase (POD) showed a trend of first decrease and then increase with the prolong of exposure time, and POD activity was significantly induced in some concentration groups at the beginning and the end of the exposure (P < 0.01). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) generally decreased first and then increased as the petroleum hydrocarbons concentration increased. With the prolong of exposure time, the SOD activity decreased first and then increased and then decreased. Our results showed that petroleum hydrocarbons in the sediment produced a certain toxic effect on Maoctra veneriformis, and there was a certain time-dose-effect relationship between anti-oxidase activity and petroleum hydrocarbons. Meanwhile, petroleum hydrocarbons can produce significant induction or inhibition effect on anti-oxidase activity.