Single and joint effects of HHCB and cadmium on zebrafish (Danio rerio) in feculent water containing bedloads

As an important type of emerging pollutants, ecological toxicity and risk of artificial musks are increasingly concerned. Thus, single and joint toxic effects of 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta-gamma-2-benzopyran (HHCB) as one of the most widely applied artificial musks and cadmium (Cd) as an toxic metal on zebrafish (Danio rerio) were investigated by the exposure of zebrafish to various concentrations of HHCB or/and Cd in feculent water containing bedloads. The results indicated that the joint effect of HHCB and Cd changed during different exposure times within 120 h. The index of the antioxidant enzyme system including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were sensitive and induced in the zebrafish stressed by Cd, and content of soluble protein (SP) was sensitive to HHCB and could be used as a biomarker for HHCB. Joint effects on antioxidant enzymes depended more on the effect of single Cd in the first one or two days. However, in the rest exposure days, the effect of HHCB began to dominate in the joint effect during the exposure process.