Effects of Estivation on the Concentrations of Selected Carboxylic Acids of Two Strains of Helisoma trivolvis

High-performance ion exclusion Column liquid chromatography was used to analyze the effects of estivation oil certain carboxylic acids in the digestive gland-gonad complex (DGG) of a Pennsylvania (Pa) and Colorado (Co) strain of Helisoma trivolvis. The DGG samples were extracted using 50% Locke's solution, followed by cleanup using anion-exchange solid phase extraction and analysis by ion exclusion high Performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Succinic. pyruvic, malic, and fumaric acids were detected and quantified in the DGGs of both estivated and unestivated snails at concentrations ranging from 0.91 to 2200 ppm. There was a significant (student's t-test. P <= 0.05) reduction ill the Concentrations of succinic, pyruvic, and malic but not of fumaric acid ill unestivated versus estivated Helisoma trivolvis (Pa). For Helisoma trivolvis (Co). there was it significant Increase in succinic but not in fumaric, pyruvic, malic acids in unestivated Versus estivated snails. The reduction of certain carboxylic acids in the DGG of Helisoma trivolvis; (Pa) Suggests that estivation stimulates a decreased production of these acids or increased utilization by the snail tissue. Differences in the concentrations of certain acids between H. trivolvis (Pa) and H. trivolvis (Co) probably reflect strain differences.