Postmortem Changes in Uninhibited Brain Cholinesterase Activity in the Fathead Minnow
- 1 January 1992
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
- Vol. 121 (1) , 137-139
- https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8659(1992)121<0137:pciubc>2.3.co;2
Abstract
Severe depression of brain cholinesterase (ChE) activity is a diagnostic indicator of lethal poisoning by organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. Postmortem changes in ChE activity in field-collected fish kill specimens could lead to erroneous conclusions about the cause of death. This study was conducted to examine the effects of different postmortem treatments on uninhibited brain ChE activity in fathead minnows Pimephales promelas. Cholinesterase activity was not significantly changed (P > 0.05) by immersing killed fish in water at 19–22°C for up to 24 h. Brain ChE activity in fish stored for 2 weeks at –18°C was similar to that in fish assayed immediately after death.Keywords
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