Acute toxic effects of phenanthrene on Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis北大核心CSCD

Phenanthrene is a persistent organic pollutant frequently found in aquatic environments. This paper aimed to assess the acute effects (96 h) of phenanthrene on Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), a key economic aquatic animal in China. An acute semi-static toxic test was carried out to expose E. sinensis to water-borne phenanthrene with different concentrations (1.00, 1.63, 2.65, 4.31 and 7.00 mg L-1) for 96 hours. Mortality and toxic reactions were used as effect criteria. Furthermore, the oxidative stress relative biomarkers (activities of CAT, SOD, GST and content of MDA in hepatopancreas and gills) were measured for E. sinensis exposed to four lower concentrations of phenanthrene (1.00, 1.63, 2.65 and 4.31 mg L-1). The median lethal concentration (LC50) for 24,48 and 96 hour phenanthrene exposure was 16.7, 2.96 and 2.14 mg L-1, respectively; and the safe concentration (SC) of phenanthrene on E. sinensis was 0.214 mg L-1. Phenanthrene significantly increased the activity of CAT in hepatopancreas and gills, and showed a significant dose-effect relationship in hepatopancreas. Bell-shape response patterns were found in the activities of GST and SOD in the hepatopancreas and gills, with significant increases of hepatopancreas GST at 1.00 and 1.63 mg L-1 (P < 0.05), and a significant decrease at 4.31mg L-1 (P < 0.05). Phenanthrene significantly increased the contents of gills MDA at 2.65mg L-1 and hepatopancreas MDA at all four concentrations of phenanthrene. Phenanthrene, especially of high concentration, is highly toxic on E. sinensis, causing lipid peroxidative damage and even acute mortality. Meanwhile, E. sinensis can adapt to lower concentrations of phenanthrene by increasing the activities of SOD, CAT and GST. Because the CAT and GST activities of the gill and hepatopancreas are very sensitive to the presence of high-concentration phenanthrene, they can be used as highly sensitive biomarkers for phenanthrene polluted water.