The Effect of Pollution on the Arginase Activity in Tissues of Freshwater Crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus Esch. 1823) in the Keban Dam Lake

In the present study, the effects of pollution on the arginase activity in the tissues of Astacus leptodactylus in the Keban Dam Lake were investigated. The arginase activity was found to be higher in the hepatopancreas (p 0.05) and gill (p 0.001) tissues at the contaminated station as compared to that of the uncontaminated one. No significant difference in the levels of arginase in muscle was observed between the stations. However, the arginase activities at the contaminated station were found to be statistically higher in the hepatopancreas (p 0.001), gill (p 0.01) and muscle (p 0.05) of female crayfish, as well as in the gill (p 0.001) of male crayfish.