Activity of cytochrome P-450 in whitefish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coregonus lavaretus</Emphasis> and pike <Emphasis Type="Italic">Esox lucius</Emphasis> from subarctic water bodies exposed to waste water of mining enterprises

The response of hydroxylase activity of cytochrome P-450 from the microsomes of fish liver depends on fish species and on the kind of pollution. Differences in activity of the enzyme in whitefish Coregonus lavaretus and Pike Esox lucius depend on differences in ecology and in sensitivity of species to industrial effluents. Whitefish reacted to pollution by decrease in the activity of cytochrome P-450. In pike the activity of the enzyme increased under the influence of industrial wastewater. Males of both species are less resistant than females to the aforementioned pollutants. With consideration to the obtained results, the determination of activity of cytochropme P-450 may be recommended as the indicator of pollution level of the aquatic environment with industrial waste products, including those containing heavy metals.