Pollution Research Paper

EFFECT OF HEAVY METALS ON SUPER OXIDE DISMUTASE (SOD),MALONDIALDEHYDE (MDA), AND EPIDERMAL HISTOLOGY OF TUBIFEX SP. WORM

IRAWATI MEI WIDIASTUTI, ASUS MAIZAR SURYANTO HERTIKA, MUHAMMAD MUSA, DIANA ARFIATI AND AGOES SOEGIANTO

Abstract

Heavy metal is one of the stressors for aquatic organisms. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is an oxidativestress marker and superoxide dismutase (SOD) is important to control the cellular ROS levels.Tubifexsp. can be used as a water pollution indicator because it is adaptive to contamination. This study was aimed to measure the level of SOD, MDA and find out the histology of Tubifexsp. worms exposed to heavy metals. This research employed a survey method, while the measurement of SOD and MDA was conducted using Bio Assay Kits and Histology was carried out using a dotslide Olympus microscope. The results showed that the highest levels of SOD in Tubifex sp. worms was ST2 (12.29 ± 0.08 U/mL), whereas the concentration of MDA decreased with the lowest MDA level was ST2 (15.40 ± 7.07 nmol/g). Heavy metals cause damage to Tubifex sp. worm tissues,especially in the dermis layer (necrosis) and body cavity (hypotrophy) throughout by histology.