High affinity of cadmium and copper to head kidney of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)

Elżbieta Kondera,Katarzyna Ługowska,Piotr Sarnowski

doi:10.1007/s10695-013-9819-1

Elżbieta Kondera, Katarzyna Ługowska + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-013-9819-1

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate bioaccumulation of metals in various tissues of the freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio L. exposed to cadmium and copper (a xenobiotic and a microelement). The fish were subjected to short-term (3 h, Cd-S and Cu-S) or long-term (4 weeks, Cd-L and Cu-L) exposures to 100 % 96hLC50 or 10 % 96hLC50, respectively. Blood, gill, liver, head and trunk kidney were isolated weekly from 5 fish of each group for 4 weeks (post-short-term exposure and during long-term exposure). Atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique was applied to measure concentrations of metals (Cd and Cu) in fish tissues. Initial concentrations of copper in fish tissues were higher than levels of cadmium. Cadmium and copper levels increased in all tissues of metal-exposed fish. After short-term exposures (at higher concentration) and during long-term exposures (at lower concentration), similar changes in metal concentrations were observed. The values of accumulation factor (ratio of final to initial metal concentration) were higher for cadmium as compared to copper. Comparison of metal levels and accumulation factors in various tissues revealed that cadmium and copper showed very high affinity to head kidney of common carp (higher than to other tissues), but accumulation factors for cadmium in trunk, head kidney and liver were much higher than for copper. The concentrations of copper in organs of Cu-exposed fish increased only slightly and quickly returned to the control level, which shows that fish organism easily buffered metal level. On the other hand, concentrations of cadmium considerably increased and remained elevated for a long time which suggests that activation of mechanisms of sequestration and elimination of cadmium required more time.

Highlights

In clean natural waters, concentrations of cadmium and copper are very low, but in contaminated waters, they may increase as a result of human activities
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the bioaccumulation of metals in the most important tissues participating in uptake, transport, metabolism and excretion of metals, and the head kidney as a key hematopoietic organ of the fresh water Cyprinus carpio L. exposed to cadmium and copper
The obtained results show that initial concentrations of copper in fish tissues were higher than the levels of cadmium

Summary

Introduction

Concentrations of cadmium and copper are very low, but in contaminated waters, they may increase as a result of human activities. Copper is an important essential element involved in various metabolic processes, e.g., neurotransmitter function, iron absorption from the intestine or synthesis of hemoglobin—it plays an important role in production of red blood cells (erythropoiesis), it is a component of many enzymes (Fedeli et al 2010). Both copper shortage and excess exert adverse effects on organisms. The boundary between necessary and toxic concentration of copper is difficult to determine, because toxic potential of metals depends on many factors: physiochemical properties of aquatic environment, fish health or age- and species-specific sensitivity to intoxication (Bozhkov et al 2010)

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