PL.RM. PALANIAPPAN#, V. VIJAYASUNDARAM

Department of Physics, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar – 608 002, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract. Arsenic is a ubiquitous element present in various compounds throughout the earth’s crust and it is identified as a human carcinogen. In this study, we focus on the arsenic induced biochemical changes in the liver tissues of freshwater fish Labeo rohita, using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The spectrum of liver tissue is quite complex and contains several bands arising from the contribution of different functional groups belonging to proteins, lipids and others. The FTIR spectra reveal significant differences in absorbance intensities and areas between control and arsenic intoxicated liver tissues; this variation shows the alteration in biochemical contents like proteins and lipids in the liver tissues due to arsenic intoxication. The detailed spectral analyses were performed in two distinct wave number regions namely 3600–2800 cm^–1 and 1800–1000 cm^–1 and curve fitting analyses were performed in the amide I region for the detailed analysis of protein secondary structures. In the present study, we observed a decrease in α–helical structure and an increase in β-sheet structure due to arsenic intoxication.
Key words: Arsenic, FTIR, Labeo rohita, liver, biochemical contents, protein secondary structure.

Corresponding author’s e-mail: plrmpl@hotmail.com

Full text: PDF