Peculiarities of Low Concentrations of Heavy Metal Ions' Effect on β-Carotene Content in Lymnaea stagnalis

Abstract

The article deals with influence of heavy metal ions (cadmium, zinc, copper, lead, chromium, manganese and nickel) on &beta;-carotene content in hemolymph, hepatopancreas, mantle and foot of <i>Lymnaea stagnalis</i>. Its content dynamics was non-linear, owing to nature and specificity of the ions' effects, the exposure time and metabolic features of the organs and tissues. Over the two-day exposure, the impact Cr^3&#43;, Mn^2&#43;, Cu^2&#43;, Ni^2&#43; and Cd^2&#43; ions resulted in increase of &beta;-carotene content in the <i>L. stagnalis'</i> hemolymph, indicating development of the immediate response to the toxic effects aimed at homeostasis. The Cr^3&#43; impact caused its growth in hepatopancreas, mantle, and foot. The &beta;-carotene content dynamics under the impact of all studied ions was organ-specific. Over the fourteen-day exposure, the suppressive effect of Mn^2&#43;, Cu^2&#43;, Ni^2&#43;, Cd^2&#43;, Cr^3&#43; and Zn^2&#43; on the <i>L. stagnalis</i> metabolism increased, expressed in decrease of &beta;-carotene content by 12.2-66.9&#37;, except in hemolymph where under the impact of Cr^3&#43; it increased 3.2 times, and in foot where under the impact of Ni^2&#43; it remained at the control level. The hierarchical cluster analysis enabled to reveal regularities of HM ions impact on &beta;-carotene content in hemolymph, hepatopancreas, mantle and foot of <i>L. stagnalis</i>.