Polyaspartic acid alleviates heavy metal toxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of polyaspartic acid (PASP) on Pb, Cu, and Cd toxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio). After 24 hours’ toxicity test on zebrafish, LC50, survival rates of zebrafish and catalase (CAT) activity were determined. The results revealed that the 24-hour survival rates of zebrafish exposed to Pb (P < .05), Cd (P < .05), and Cu (P < .05) treatment decreased with the increasing metal concentration; and the mean LC50 of Pb, Cd, and Cu for zebrafish were 5.15 mg/L, 2.82 mg/L, and 0.09 mg/L, respectively. However, no zebrafish death was found in the group added with PASP (P < .05), indicating that the application of PASP increased the survival rate and alleviated the toxicity of heavy metal in zebrafish. The mechanisms of detoxification induced by PASP might lie in the in vitro and in vivo mechanisms.