Abstract

Contamination of heavy metals in water and sediments along Mantyeong (river) has reached up to critical level, The object of the study is to dlucidate some macroinvertebrates which inhabit along the river in respect to the modulatory role in reducing the pollution. For the purpose, Scapharca subcrenata(sea shell) which is common in numbers and biomass in the area was collected, and cadmium (Cd) was subjected as a reference metal in the experiment. The seashell was dried and autoclaved, followed by pellet preparation under various concentration of Cd: 50,100,250,500 and 1,500 ug /pellet. Mice were fed for 3 months, althrough last group(5 mice), 1,500 ug/pellet, died within 4 weeksof the administration.MT-Cd in liver and kidney increased in correlation with the amont of Cd concentration in pellet, especially in kidney than in liver. Liver and kidney of the mice showed pathological changes such as cellular infiltration and focal necrosis in liver, and peri-tubular cell infiltration or tubular necrosis etc. The changes were more intensive by amount of the Cd. Overall results in the present study suggest that Cd may eventually combine with soluble-protein forming metalloprotein, then reduce the toxicity of heavy metal, How the formed Mt-Cd is discharged from the kidney and the mechanism shall be the further subject to be clarified.