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MEPS 153:197-202 (1997)

Abstract

Arginase specific activity and nitrogenous excretion of Penaeus japonicus exposed to elevated ambient ammonia

Chen JC, Chen JM

ABSTRACT: Mass-specific activity of arginase and nitrogenous excretion of Penaeus japonicus Bate (10.3 ± 3.7 g) were measured for shrimps exposed to 0.029 (control), 1.007 and 10.054 mg l-1 ammonia-N at 32o/oo S for 24 h. Arginase specific activity of gill, hepatopancreas and midgut increased directly with ambient ammonia-N, whereas arginase specific activity of muscle was inversely related to ambient ammonia-N. Excretion of total-N (total nitrogen), organic-N and urea-N increased, whereas excretion of ammonia-N, nitrate-N and nitrite-N decreased significantly with an increase of ambient ammonia-N. In the control solution, P. japonicus excreted 68.94% ammonia-N, 25.39% organic-N and 2.87% urea-N. For the shrimps exposed to 10 mg l-1 ammonia-N, ammonia-N uptake occurred, and the contribution of organic-N and urea-N excretion increased to 90.57 and 8.78%, respectively, of total-N. High levels of arginase specific activity in the gill, midgut and hepatopancreas suggest that there is an alternative route of nitrogenous waste for P. japonicus under ammonia exposure.

KEY WORDS: Penaeus japonicus · Ammonia · Arginase activity · Nitrogenous excretion · Metabolism

Published in MEPS Vol. 153 (1997) on July 10
ISSN: 0171-8630. Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 1997

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