Arch. Pol. Fish.     Vol. 9     Fasc. 1            2001      p. 51-60

THE INFLUENCE OF MERCURY ON COMPUTER ANALYZED SPERM MOTILITY OF COMMON CARP, CYPRINUS CARPIO L., IN VITRO

Jarosław Chyb, Mirosława Sokołowska-Mikołajczyk, David E. Kime*, Magdalena Socha, Piotr Epler

Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, Agricultural University, Cracow, Poland
*Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom

ABSTRACT. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of different mercury concentrations (ranging from 0.05 to 1 ppm) on common carp sperm motility. Computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) and microscopic observations of the time of sperm motility were applied in the experiment. According to analysis using the CASA method, it was found that all the tested concentrations of mercury decreased sperm motility, and that lethal effects were observed at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 ppm. On the other hand, microscopic observations showed that mercury decreased the time of sperm movement at doses as low as 0.2 ppm, and that lethal effects were evident at 1ppm. These results suggest the negative impact of mercury on sperm motility. The reasons for the differences in the results obtained using these two techniques are also discussed.

Keywords: COMMON CARP, SPERM MOTILITY, MERCURY, TOXICITY, CASA