Toxic Effect of Mixture of Metals on Biochemical Composition of Flesh of Cyprinus Carpio Linn

Alterations in various biochemical constituents of flesh were monitored in Cyprinus carpio exposed to a mixture of safe (7.5 mg/l Ni+10.0mg/l Cr) and sublethal concentrations (15.0 mg/l Ni+20.0 mg/l Cr) of nickel and chromium for 60 days each during preparatory and prespawning phase. Progressive decline in the levels of total proteins, total lipids, chloesterol and phospholipids of flesh as compared to control was manifested indicating deterioration of flesh in terms of its nutritive value. Comparison of the two phases revealed more decline during prespawning phase than the preparatory phase. The sublethal treatment caused more damage to flesh than the safe treatment. The effects of metals were more pronounced in the female than the male of the species.