0023-6152

AA00697606

24266

Unrefereed

0023-6152

AA00697606

The enzyme 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) in the blood of crucian carp, Carassius auratus langsdorfii is useful as an indicator of water lead pollution. The actual conditions of water lead pollution in fresh water areas of northern Kyushu were investigated using ALA-D activity and lead concentration in fish blood between Aug. and Oct., 1996. The results obtained were as follows. Blood ALA-D activity in the collected fish varied both within any one sampling location and among the various sampling locations. But, from the mutual comparison of blood ALA-D activities of crucian carp collected at various sampling locations, no significant differences were observed between them. Blood lead concentrations in the collected fish suggested that water lead concentrations had changed to a slight degree over time at the various sampling locations prior to our field study. A comparison between the data of our field study and those of the exposure test reported in our previous paper using ALA-D activity and lead concentration of crucian carp blood, seemed to demonstrate that water lead concentrations in all the sampling locations were below the waler quality standard for water lead (10 ppb).