A Sodipe1*, D Olatoregun2, OO Ojekunle2, S Good3
Cadmium and Copper are both heavy metals of concern and toxic environmental contaminants. Due to copper’s excellent electrical conductivity, its most common use is in electrical equipment. Cadmium on the other hand, is not essential, although it is used majorly in batteries. Contamination with cadmium and copper metals stems mainly from anthropogenic activities but other natural sources also exist. Tardigrades are microscopic aquatic animals renowned for their tolerance towards extreme environmental conditions, this study is to investigate their tolerance towards heavy and how to ameliorate these effects with an antioxidant (Selenium). Antioxidants are substances that may protect the cells against the effects of free radicals, they are intimately involved in the prevention of cellular damage: the common pathway for cancer, aging, and some diseases. We hypothesized that H. exemplaris has a low tolerance to a high concentration of toxicants and if Reactive Oxygen Species is released, some enzymatic pathways will be altered, but a certain concentration of Selenium will abate this effect, confirming the antioxidative capacity of Selenium.
