The effect of iron nanoparticles on serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase enzymes and gut bacterial flora of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

In this study, the effects of iron nanoparticles on serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)enzymes and gut bacterial flora of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were investigated. For this purpose, after biometrics of fish with mean weights 12.94 ± 0.35 g (Mean ± SD), the fish were randomly released in 12 tanks, containing 500 liters water (30/ tank) and fed with different diets twice a day for eight weeks. For each treatment, three replicates were considered. Control treatment diet was prepared by adding 60 mg/kg FeSO4.7H2O powder to other dry matters and diets of other treatments containing iron nanoparticles were prepared by adding 30, 60 and 90 mg/kg of Fe3O4 nanoparticles as iron resource (replace iron sulfate) to the base diet. Biometrics was used to check body weight every 14 days. For determination of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) enzymes and gut bacterial flora at the end of the experimental period, the fish were randomly sampled (3/ replicates). According to the results the highest amount of AST and ALT was obtain at control treatment and treatment contained 60 mg/kg iron nanoparticles and also there was a significant difference between control treatment and treatment with 90 mg / kg iron nanoparticles (P<0.05). The lowest levels of these enzymes were observed in the treatment containing 30 mg/kg iron nanoparticles, which did not have a significant difference with treatment containing 90 mg/kg iron nanoparticles (P>0.05). In addition, different doses of iron nanoparticles had not significant effect on gut lactic acid bacteria of rainbow trout, but the total number of gut bacteria (total count) in treatment fed with 30 mg/kg iron nanoparticles was significantly lower than other treatments (P<0.05).