Abstract
Total antioxidant responses were investigated by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay using gills and whole soft tissues of Corbicula japonica exposed to municipal wastewater in order to evaluate water pollution in brackish lakes. Before the response experiments, the shell lengths of bivalves appropriate to ORAC assay were examined. The results showed that the variation in soluble protein was relatively low in individuals with shell lengths between 19–25 mm, which accounted for 67.3% of all sampled individuals. Gills showed approximately four times larger ORAC values than whole soft tissues and higher continuity of ORAC responses. We conclude that gills are more appropriate organs for detecting antioxidant effects caused by municipal wastewater than whole soft tissues.
