Total mercury and methylmercury concentrations in fish from the Mojana region of Colombia

Total mercury (T-Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations have been measured in the muscle tissue of 16 fish species consumed in the Mojana region of Colombia. T-Hg analysis was performed by cold-vapor atomic-absorption spectroscopy (CV-ASS) and MeHg analysis by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. Higher T-Hg and MeHg concentrations were detected in carnivorous species (T-Hg = 0.371 ± 0.172 (μg g⁻¹ fresh wt, MeHg = 0.346 ± 0.171 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt) than in non-carnivorous fish (T-Hg = 0.155 ± 0.108 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt, MeHg = 0.146 ± 0.102 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt). In the different species mercury was present almost completely as the methylated form, with percentages between 80.5 and 98.1% (mean 92.0 ± 3.4%). In 13.5% of fish-tissue samples T-Hg concentrations exceeded the maximum level recommended by the World Health Organization for human consumption (Hg = 0.5 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt). Although mean T-Hg concentrations in all fish samples (0.269 ± 0.181 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt) did not exceed this limit, risk assessment suggested that the consumption of 0.12 kg fish day⁻¹ could increase the risk of mercury poisoning of the inhabitants of this region.     

Fish-Passage Facilities as Ecological Traps in Large Neotropical Rivers

Abstract:  At present most of the large rivers of South America are impounded. Management plans historically have relied on the construction of fish passages, specifically ladders, to mitigate the impact of these waterway blockages on fisheries and biodiversity. Nevertheless, the design of these facilities is not ecologically sound and they are not monitored continually. Consequently, the real role of South American fish passages in fisheries and biodiversity management is unclear and the results of some studies suggest that ladders are problematic in fish conservation. We examined the characteristics and negative aspects of fish passages within a larger context and considered the notion that these facilities are ecological traps in some Brazilian impoundments. Four conditions are required to characterize a fish passage as an ecological trap: (1) attractive forces leading fish to ascend the passage; (2) unidirectional migratory movements (upstream); (3) the environment above the passage has poor conditions for fish recruitment (e.g., the absence of spawning grounds and nursery areas); and (4) the environment below the passage has a proper structure for recruitment. When these conditions exist individuals move to poor-quality habitats, fitness is reduced, and populations are threatened. To exemplify this situation we analyzed two case studies in the upper Paraná River basin, Brazil, in which the four conditions were met and migratory fish populations were declining. If passages work as ecological traps, regional fisheries will be in danger of collapse and conservation policies toward biodiversity will become more difficult and ineffective. The situation demands the closing of the passage in conjunction with alternative management actions to preserve system functionality, especially the conservation of critical habitats downstream and the restoration of damaged habitats in the region.     

活体及离体条件下微囊藻毒素对鱼蛋白磷酸酶的抑制作用

用鱼组织匀浆液或纯化的酶作为酶源,研究了离体和活体条件下天然有毒物微囊藻毒素对蛋白磷酸酶的抑制作用。结果表明,3种微囊藻毒素LR、YR和RR都对蛋白磷酸酶有极强的抑制作用,毒素浓度对酶相对活力作图呈典型的Ｓ型曲线。在活体致毒时,微囊藻毒素ＬＲ可在极短时间里完全抑制鱼肝脏的蛋白磷酸酶活性。研究结果还证明,离体条件下,微囊藻毒素对鱼蛋白磷酸酶的作用模式和程度与哺乳动物中的一样,活体致毒时,微囊藻毒素对鱼蛋白磷酸酶有专一性的抑制作用。     

三丁基锡在鱼脑中的吸收与沿轴突传递的研究

为证实水中三丁基锡是否与Hg2+,Cd2+与Mn2+等离子相类似,即由鱼的感觉器官进入神经系统,再经过轴突传递进入大脑。笔者将一组虹鳟鱼暴露在含有113Sn-TBT(4 2kBq L)的水中;另一组经静脉注射113Sn-TBT。用全身放射自显影方式给出113Sn-TBT在鱼体中的分布。结果表明,113Sn-TBT可以通过鱼感觉器官,例如隆起颗粒进入鱼脑,并大量累积。静脉给药组的鱼大脑中也出现了放射性标记,表明TBT能通过血脑屏障到达大脑。由此得出结论:TBT可由水→鳃→血流→血脑屏障→大脑的传递过程在鱼的大脑中累积,但TBT也能经过水暴露敏感神经的端点被鱼体吸收,再由轴突传递直接输送到大脑。      

Evaluation of pesticides residues distribution in fresh and smoked body parts of Clarias gariepinus and assessment of possible health risks in Nigeria

Pesticides residues in fresh and smoked body parts of Clarias gariepinus were investigated to evaluate their contamination status and risks to human health. The results gave an overview of the contamination levels of these (head, body trunk and liver) fish parts. The pesticides [organochlorine (OC), organophosphorus (OP), pyrethroids (PY) and others like: guazatine, methoprene, metalaxyl and imidachloprid] concentration in the fresh and smoked body parts ranged from 0.002 to 0.221 µg/kg and 0.002 to 0.175 µg/kg, with mean concentration of 0.002–0.218 µg/kg and 0.002–0.126 µg/kg, respectively. Smoking was observed to reduce the overall pesticide concentration as follows: head (0.23 µg/kg or 17.3%), liver (0.34 µg/kg or 29.8%) and muscles (0.41 µg/kg or 27.2%). The pesticides contents were significantly lower than standard daily intake and the risk associated with consumption of the fish also showed that the fish posed no potential threat to consumers.     

Toxicological response of silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) after acute exposure to a commercial insecticide containing thiamethoxam

Abstract

This study assessed the hematological, enzymatic and osmoregulatory responses of silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) exposed to sublethal concentrations (1.125 and 3.750?µg/L) of a commercial thiamethoxam-containing insecticide used on rice crops. Groups of 6 fish per tank (in triplicate, n?=?3, total 54 fish) were exposed for up to 96?h to different concentrations of the compound. After this period, fish were placed in clean water for 48?h. Two fish from each tank (6 per treatment) that had been exposed to the insecticide for 24?h were anesthetized with eugenol and blood was collected to evaluate hematological and biochemical parameters. Blood, liver and muscle were collected for determination of metabolic parameters, plasma cortisol, Cl^-, Na⁺ and K⁺ levels and H⁺-ATPase and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity in the gill. H⁺-ATPase activity was higher in fish exposed to 1.125?µg/L insecticide at 24?h compared to control (0.0?µg/L). Differences in cortisol levels were evidenced throughout the experimental period. These results indicated that exposure to the insecticide changed the hematological, biochemical and metabolic profile of the animals, suggesting concern about environmental safety. Therefore, we discourage the use of this pesticide in areas that come into contact with water bodies inhabited by fish.     

Residues of legacy organochlorine pesticides and DDT metabolites in highly consumed fish from the polluted Guanabara Bay,Brazil: distribution and assessment of human health risk

Abstract

Organochlorine (OCP) pesticides were determined in samples of sardine (Sardinella brasiliensis), whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri), and mullet (Mugil liza) from Guanabara Bay (state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). OCP concentrations and fish consumption were linked with acceptable daily intake values in order to assess the human health risk for the Brazilian population. The total concentrations of OCPs (Σ OCP) was 6.6?ng/g f.w., 7.5?ng/g f.w., and 2.8?ng/g f.w. for sardines, corvina, and mullet, respectively. There was a significant difference (P?<?0.05) among the species related to o,p’-DDD and o,p’-DDT concentrations. Both DDT-related compounds were 5 and 76 times more abundant in sardines than in whitemouth croaker and mullet. Newly discovered DDT metabolite, o-Cl-DDMU, was frequently detected in the fish. None of the samples exceeded the maximum limits for acceptable levels of OCP residues. According to the data of average intake of Brazilian population, none of three species exceeded toxicological parameter. The investigated fishes are considered as safe for human consumption in regard to exposure of the studied OCPs. However, fish may be a intake source of OCP metabolites such as o-Cl-DDMU whose toxicity is still unknown.     

有机污染物对发光菌和鱼的毒性相关性研究

研究有机污染物对不同水生生物毒性的种间关系有助于探讨有机污染物对水生生物的毒性作用模式。本文应用1 470种有机化合物对发光菌的毒性数据和949种有机化合物对鱼的毒性数据,研究有机化合物对发光菌和鱼的种间毒性作用模式。结果表明,有机化合物对发光菌和鱼的毒性呈正相关,但种间相关性较差。通过计算毒性比率TR值表明多数类别有机化合物具有相似的种间毒性作用模式。基线和弱惰性化合物对发光菌和鱼的毒性均与辛醇水分配系数log Kow具有良好的线性关系,这说明基线和弱惰性化合物在发光菌和鱼体内的残余量CBR值均为一个常数。这些化合物对发光菌和鱼具有相似的毒性作用模式和生物吸收过程。另外,一些亲水性化合物的log TR值具有较大的种间差异,即对发光菌和鱼的毒性效应具有较大的种间差异,表明亲水性化合物对发光菌为反应型化合物,而对鱼为麻醉型化合物。有机化合物对发光菌和鱼的毒性种间相关性通过引入疏水性参数得到了一定的改善,这表明这些亲水性化合物毒性效应的种间差异有一部分归因于有机化合物在发光菌和鱼体内的生物富集不同,而不是由于与生物分子的反应性不同。这些亲水性化合物相对于鱼的腮和皮肤更容易通过发光菌的细胞膜,与生物分子发生化学反应,从而具有较高的毒性效应。Log Kow大于7的化合物对发光菌和鱼均具有较低的毒性,说明有机化合物在生物体内的富集能力对有机化合物剩余毒性的判别起着重要作用。     

Detection of free microcystins in the liver and muscle of freshwater fish by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

MC analysis of biological tissue is considered to be very difficult due to the lack of validated methods. This is the primary limiting factor for monitoring potential risks in both the flesh of aquatic organisms and the aquatic ecosystem. In this study, an effective method to determine free MCs (MC-LR and MC-RR) in the muscle and liver tissues of freshwater cultured fish was developed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS). The extraction solvent, time of extraction, eluent and purification of the extract were optimized. Various SPE cartridges were also investigated. In this optimized analytical procedure, an 85% methanol/water solution (v/v) was selected as the extraction solvent, after which the extracts were purified by removing fats and proteins; a HLB cartridge was chosen for MCs enrichment; and 90% methanol containing 0.02% formic acid/water solution (v/v) was used as the eluent. Under the optimized pretreatment conditions and instrument parameters, good recoveries of MC-LR and MC-RR were obtained at three concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 µg g^?1 dry weight (DW)), with values ranging from 92.5 to 98.3% and 92.1 to 98.6%, respectively. The method detection limit (MDL) for muscle samples was 0.5 µg kg^?1 and 0.4 µg kg^?1 (DW) for MC-LR and MC-RR, respectively. The MDL for the liver samples was 0.8 µg kg^?1 (DW) for both MC-LR and MC-RR. The developed procedure was successfully applied to analyze MCs in the muscle and liver of fish samples collected from a Chinese freshwater aquaculture pond during bloom seasons. The MC-LR concentrations ranged from below the MDL to 4.17 µg kg^?1 and the MC-RR concentrations ranged from below the MDL to 2.64 µg kg^?1.     

Bioaccumulation of organochlorine contaminants in fish species from Lake Qarun,a protected area of Egypt

The purpose of this study was to determine concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Bouri fish (Mugil cephalus) from Lake Qarun, a protected area of Egypt, and evaluate the relative ecological risk of these compounds. Different tissues of the fish species were analyzed for 26 chlorinated pesticides and 29 PCB congeners. Total concentrations (µg/kg wet weight, ww) of OCPs ranged between 1487 and 6217 (mean: 3260) and of PCBs between 9.0 and 61 (mean: 34). The trend of detected organochlorine pollutants was: endrin aldehyde > dieldrin > hexachlorobenzene > PCBs > endrin > 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethanes (DDTs). Heptachlor epoxide; oxy-, cis-, and trans-chlordane; trans-nonachlor; β-hexachlorocyclohexane; δ-hexachlorocyclohexane; and endosulfan I and endosulfan sulfate levels were below the detection limit. The ratios of (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylenes [DDEs] + 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethanes [DDDs])/ΣDDTs in fish tissues indicated no recent DDT exposure. Concentrations of DDTs and PCBs were generally comparable or higher than those found in studies of similar species worldwide. The concentrations of hexachlorobenzene, dieldrin, and endrin aldehyde in fish muscles exceeded the maximum residue level recommended by various organizations.