Abstract
The objectives of this research were, first, to determine the concentrations of certain heavy metals in the edible tissue of wild brown trout (Salmo trutta trutta) from two different rivers located in the Abruzzi region (Italy), and then, to investigate the levels of variation in vitellogenin (VTG) associated with the presence of metalloestrogens. VTG is an effective indicator for endocrine disturbance, and an increase in the vitellogenin levels in male fish is widely employed as a biomarker of estrogenic contamination in the aquatic environment. The muscles of the trout were analyzed for As, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Al, and Zn using an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), and Hg was measured using a direct mercury analyzer (DMA-80). The calculated values of the condition factor confirmed a healthy status for this species, indicating that the aquatic habit in both rivers is suitable for brown trout life. No significant difference in the concentrations of each metal were reported between the trout from the two rivers, and no significant difference for VTG levels were found between male and female fish. It is interesting to note the high concentrations of Al/Zn, while the Pb, Cd, and Hg concentrations in all of the samples were lower than those established by the European Commission.
Highlights
Contamination from heavy metals has occurred in rivers worldwide, especially during the last decade, with river water and sediments being a major environmental focus [1].Concerns over heavy metals are due to their profusion, persistence, and toxicity, as reported in several studies [2,3,4]
The pollution of aquatic environments is closely associated with human activities, and lakes and rivers can receive heavy metals as a result of discharges of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater from domestic, industrial, and agricultural sources, as well as by natural processes that can contribute to metal contamination
There has been an increase in articles showing that some heavy metals could influence the endocrine system, and Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Ni, Mn, and Zn have been classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) or metalloestrogens [10,11]
Summary
Contamination from heavy metals has occurred in rivers worldwide, especially during the last decade, with river water and sediments being a major environmental focus [1].Concerns over heavy metals are due to their profusion, persistence, and toxicity, as reported in several studies [2,3,4]. The pollution of aquatic environments is closely associated with human activities, and lakes and rivers can receive heavy metals as a result of discharges of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater from domestic, industrial, and agricultural sources, as well as by natural processes that can contribute to metal contamination. There has been an increase in articles showing that some heavy metals could influence the endocrine system, and Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Ni, Mn, and Zn have been classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) or metalloestrogens [10,11] These heavy metals exert estrogenic effects through the alteration of the gene expression and/or modifying the activity of estrogenic receptors. Their presence in terrestrial and aquatic environments is well documented [12,13,14,15]
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