A comparative study on the effects of three different metals (Cu, Zn and Cd) at similar toxicity levels in common carp, Cyprinus carpio. Issue 9 (17th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Castaldo, Giovanni; Delahaut, Vyshal; Slootmaekers, Bart; Bervoets, Lieven; Town, Raewyn M.; Blust, Ronny; De Boeck, Gudrun
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied toxicology. Volume 41:Issue 9(2021)
• Page Start: 1400
• Page End: 1413
• Publication Date: 2020-12-17
• Subjects: cadmium -- copper -- fish -- ionoregulation -- metal pollution -- zinc; Toxicology -- Periodicals; Industrial toxicology -- Periodicals; Environmentally induced diseases -- Periodicals; Toxicology -- Periodicals; 615.9005
• DOI: 10.1002/jat.4131
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0260-437X

Abstract

Abstract: To improve our understanding of underlying toxic mechanisms, it is important to evaluate differences in effects that a variety of metals exert at concentrations representing the same toxic level to the organism. Therefore, the main goal of the present study was to compare the effects of waterborne copper (Cu(II)), zinc (Zn(II)) and cadmium (Cd (II)) on a freshwater fish, the common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ), at concentrations being 0%, 25%, 50% and 100% of the 96 h LC50 (the concentration which is lethal to 50% of the population in 96 h). All the exposures were performed for a period of 1 week at 20°C. Our results show a rapid increase in the amount of copper and cadmium accumulated in the gills, while zinc only started to increase by the end of the experiment. All three metal ions increased metallothionein gene expression in both gills and liver. However, clear adverse effects were mainly observed for the Cu exposed group. Cu caused a decrease in Na level in gill tissue; it altered the expression of genes involved in ionoregulation such as Na + /K + ‐ATPase and H + ‐ATPase as well as the expression of oxidative stress‐related genes, such as catalase, glutathione reductase and glutathione S‐transferase. Zinc and cadmium exposure did not alter the ion levels in the gills. In addition, no obvious effect of oxidative stress was observed, except for a transient increase in glutathione reductase at the highest cadmium concentration. Abstract : Common carp were exposed to several Cu (II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) concentrations for a period of 1 week at 20°C. Our results show that both Cu and Cd accumulate fast, whereas this was not the case for Zn. Most of the adverse effects were caused by Cu (e.g., on ion balance and ion transporters). All three metals triggered the response of defensive mechanisms such as metallothionein gene expression (MT).