Effects of prolonged exposure to low pH on enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes)

Acidification in aquatic ecosystems is a major concern worldwide. In freshwater, although there are several publications reporting acute toxicity and adverse effects due to low pH, little is known about adverse effects on antioxidant mechanisms in fish after prolonged exposure. This study aimed to investigate how antioxidants are affected by raising larval Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) in soft water at pH 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5. After 18 days of exposure, glutathione concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity in whole body homogenates increased as pH decreased, without changes in lipid peroxidation measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. This study showed that prolonged exposure to low pH increased reactive oxygen species production and that fish cope with it by increasing levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants.