Neurotransmitter level changes in domestic ducks (Shaoxing duck) growing up in typical mercury contaminated area in China

Article type: Research Article

Authors: JI, Xiu-ling | YANG, Liu | SHEN, Zhe-min | CHENG, Jin-ping | JIN, Gui-wen | QU, Li-ya | WANG, Wen-hua

Affiliations: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China | Guizhou Institute for Environmental Protection, Guiyang 550002, China

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: whwang@sjtu.edu.cn

Abstract: The neurotransmitter level changes of ducks exposed 8-month in a mercury-polluted site (Wanshan, China) and a reference site (Shanghai, China) were examined. Chemical analyses showed both higher mercury and selenium concentrations in the organ of Wanshan ducks. An increased content of acetylcholine (ACh) in brain and blood and a decreased activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in blood were observed. Moreover, there was an increasing trend for nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and nitric oxide (NO) production in duck brain, but a reduction of NOS activity in duck serum. The possible explanations were due to the interactive effect of selenium accumulation and the sublethal exposure level of mercury in Wanshan area. The present study showed that AChE and NOS were sensitive to mercury contamination of real circumstance, suggesting that these two indexes have the potential to be biomarkers in assessment of health effects by mercury contamination.

Keywords: mercury, neurotransmitter, long-term exposure, Wanshan area

Journal: Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 256-258, 2005