Tissues Of Wild Fish Research Articles

Tissue distribution of emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in wild fish species from Qiantang river, east China: Comparison of 6:2 Cl-PFESA with PFOS

This study argued for the first time that 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (6:2 Cl-PFESA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) might have different tissue distribution mechanisms in wild fish species. Nine emerging and legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were detected in the water and wild fish tissues samples collected from the Qiantang River. Perfluorooctanoic acid (213 ng/L) was the predominant PFAS contaminant, and the other contaminants included perfluorohexanoate (19 ng/L), perfluorobutanoate (199 ng/L) and hexafuoropropylene oxide dimer acid (55 ng/L), which are the main fluorinated alternatives used in various industries located along the Qiantang River. Furthermore, PFOS (742 ng/g) and 6:2 Cl-PFESA (9.0 ng/g) were the predominant PFAS contaminants detected in the fish tissue samples. The differences in the potential molecular mechanism of the tissue distribution of PFOS and 6:2 Cl-PFESA in wild fish species are discussed. Additionally, we hypothesize that phospholipid partitioning is the primary mechanism underlying the tissue distribution of PFOS, and that a specific protein-binding mechanism is involved in the tissue distribution of 6:2 Cl-PFESA.

Biotransformation of Organophosphate Diesters Characterized via In Vitro Metabolism and In Vivo Screening.

Organophosphate diesters (di-OPEs), as additives in industrial applications and/or transformation products of emerging environmental pollutants, such as organophosphate triesters (tri-OPEs), have been found in the environment and biological matrices. The metabolic fate of di-OPEs in biological media is of great significance for tracing the inherent and precursor toxicity variations. This is the first study to investigate the metabolism of a suite of di-OPEs by liver microsomes and to identify any metabolite of metabolizable di-OPEs in in vitro and in vivo samples. Of the 14 di-OPEs, 5 are significantly metabolizable, and their abundant metabolites with hydroxyl, carboxyl, dealkylated, carbonyl, and/or epoxide groups are tentatively identified. More than half of the di-OPEs are detectable in human serum and/or wild fish tissues, and dibenzyl phosphate (DBzP), bis(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (BDBPP), and isopropyl diphenyl phosphate (ip-DPHP) are first reported at a detectable level in humans and wildlife. Using an in vitro assay and a known biotransformation rule-based integrated screening strategy, 2 and 10 suspected metabolite peaks of DEHP are found in human serum and wild fish samples, respectively, and are then identified as phase I and phase II metabolites of DEHP. This study provides a novel insight into fate and persistence of di-OPE and confirms the presence of di-OPE metabolites in humans and wildlife.

Pharmaceutically active compounds in biotic and abiotic media of rivers receiving urban sewage: Concentrations, bioaccumulation and ecological risk

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) are recognized as posing health risks to aquatic ecosystems. The occurrence characteristics and ecological effects of 15 PhACs were investigated in the multiphase media of Yangtze River (Nanjing area, China) during wet and dry seasons. All 15 PhACs were detected in the traditionally dissolved phase, suspended particulate matter, sediment and fish, with total concentrations of PhACs (ΣPhACs) of 64.75–366.20 ng/L, 18.50–69.40 ng/g, 3.29–23.30 ng/g and 0.00–176.44 ng/g, respectively. Ibuprofen (IPF), roxithromycin (ROX) and caffeine (CFI) were the dominant PhACs in all of the environmental media. As the main carrier for PhACs, the colloids contributed 8.60%− 77.04% of PhACs in the traditionally dissolved phase, and distribution coefficients (log Kcol=6.38–7.95) of PhACs in colloidal phase were significantly higher than those in SPM and sediment. The bioaccumulation potential of ΣPhACs in the wild fish tissues was generally in order as follows: brain > liver > kidney > gill > blood > intestines > muscle > bile, which was positively correlated with their log Kow. The concentrations of CFI, ROX and IPF in the muscle, gill and liver can be predicted by their log Kow and pollution levels in the blood, and the concentrations of PhACs in the muscle of benthic fish were much higher than those in pelagic fish. The bioaccumulation factors of ROX, fluoxetine and bezafibrate in intestines, brain and blood showed strong enrichment capacity (>5000). In the risk assessment, the acute risk level of PhACs to aquatic organisms decreases gradually with the trophic level, while the trend of chronic risk was the opposite. The chronic mixture risk of PhACs to fish was > 1 at all sampling sites, 59.79% of mixed risk quotient were provided by clofibric acid, diclofenac, erythromycin and ketoconazole. These results indicated that PhAC can cause harmful health effects to sensitive organisms both individually and mixedly.

The Impact of Treated Wastewaters on Fish Bacterial Flora: A Public Health Perspective

Abstract Wastewaters from a treatment plant discharging into a canal harboring fish may present sources of microbiological hazard for wild fish. Such fish, inhabiting microbiologically polluted bodies of water, can be contaminated by human pathogens and, if used for human consumption, may pose a risk to public health. Hence, in this work the aim was to identify tested strains from tissues of wild fish living in the receiving water bodies, captured from locations up to 12 km from the point of discharge of treated water of town Virovitica in order to assess the bacterial threat of the WWTP on fish and potentially on public health. A rather rich diversity of bacterial genera was isolated from gill tissues and internal organs. The most frequent isolate was Aeromonas hydrophila which has gained public health recognition as an opportunistic pathogen. Vibrio cholerae, an indicator bacterium for aquatic contamination, was retrieved from all investigated tissues. Opportunistic human pathogens as well as some zoonotic agents were also retrieved from fish tissues (Enterobacter amnigenus, Acinetobacter spp., Ochrobactrum anthropi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Flavimonas (Pseudomonas) oryzihabitans, Shewanella putrefaciens and others). Public health hazard is particularly pronounced regarding local recreational fishermen who fish out, handle and consume fish from respective waters.

Bioaccumulation, metabolism, and risk assessment of phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals in specific tissues of wild fish

Phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may pose a great hazard to wildlife and humans, owing to their ubiquitous presence in the environment and potential bioaccumulation ability. We investigated the bioaccumulation, metabolism, and human health risks of six phenolic EDCs, including bisphenol A (BPA), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP), 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), in wild fish from the Pearl River system, South China. Except EE2, the other five EDCs were detected in at least one of the four fish tissues (bile, liver, plasma, and muscle). The concentrations of BPA and 4-NP were greater than those of 4-t-OP, E1, and E2 in all tissues. The median values of log bioaccumulation factors for EDCs at the range of 3.86-4.52 in bile, 2.06-3.16 in liver, 2.69-3.87 in plasma, and 1.34-2.30 in muscle, indicating a higher bioaccumulation potential in fish bile than in other tissues. Greater levels of glucuronide/sulfate conjugated EDCs were found in fish bile and liver than in the plasma and muscle, suggesting that the liver and bile played an important role in the metabolism and excretion of phenolic EDCs in fish. The calculated hazard quotient values were below 1 for each compound, implying low risk to human health by intake of edible fish.

A Global Analysis of the Relationship between Concentrations of Microcystins in Water and Fish

Cyanobacteria, the primary bloom-forming organisms in fresh water, elicit a spectrum of problems in lentic systems. The most immediate concern for people and animals are cyanobacterial toxins, which have been detected at variable concentrations in water and fish around the world. Cyanotoxins can transfer through food webs, potentially increasing the risk of exposure to people who eat fish from affected waters, yet little is known about how cyanotoxins fluctuate in wild fish tissues. We collated existing studies on cyanotoxins in fish and fresh water from lakes around the world into a global dataset to test the hypothesis that cyanotoxin concentrations in fish increase with water toxin concentrations. We limited our quantitative analysis to microcystins because data on other cyanotoxins in fish were sparse, but we provided a qualitative summary of other cyanotoxins reported in wild, freshwater fish tissues. We found a positive relationship between intracellular microcystin in water samples and microcystin in fish tissues that had been analyzed by assay methods (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and protein phosphatase inhibition assay). We expected microcystin to be found in increasingly higher concentrations from carnivorous to omnivorous to planktivorous fishes. We found, however, that omnivores generally had the highest tissue microcystin concentrations. Additionally, we found contrasting results for the level of microcystin in different tissue types depending on the toxin analysis method. Because microcystin and other cyanotoxins have the potential to impact public health, our results underline the current need for comprehensive and uniform detection methods for the analysis of cyanotoxins in complex matrices.

Personal care products in wild fish in two main Chinese rivers: Bioaccumulation potential and human health risks

Personal care products (PCPs) are widely applied in our daily life, however, little is known about their occurrence in wild fish. We investigated the bioaccumulation and potential risks of 24 PCPs in muscle and liver tissues of wild fish collected from two large rivers of Pearl and Yangtze Rivers in China. The results showed the detection of a total of 13 PCPs including 9 biocides, 2 synthetic musks and 2 benzotriazoles in at least one type of fish tissue from 12 fish species. The compounds with high detection frequencies (>50%) in fish muscle or liver tissues were N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide, carbendazim, climbazole, miconazole (MCZ), methylparaben, propylparaben, triclosan (TCS), tonalide, galaxolide (HHCB) and 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (5-TT). Among biocides, synthetic musks and benzotriazoles, TCS, HHCB and benzotriazole showed the maximum concentrations of 79.5ng/g wet weight (ww), 299ng/g ww and 3.14ng/g ww, respectively, in muscle tissue, while MCZ, HHCB and 5-TT showed the maximum concentrations of 432ng/g ww, 2619ng/g ww and 54.5ng/g ww, respectively, in liver tissue. The median values of logarithm of bioaccumulation factors (BAF) for the detected 13 PCPs were ranged 0.8–3.35 in muscle and 0.85–4.58 in liver. The log BAF values of the PCPs displayed good linear relationships with log Kow and log Dow (pH-dependent Kow). The health hazard assessment of 10 detected PCPs in the muscle indicated no appreciable risk to human via consumption of the wild fish.

Simultaneous determination of 24 personal care products in fish muscle and liver tissues using QuEChERS extraction coupled with ultra pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analyses.

A sensitive and selective quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction combined with dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) cleanup method was developed to simultaneously extract a wide range of personal care products (16 biocides, 4 synthetic musks, and 4 benzotriazoles) in fish muscle and liver tissues. In order to get satisfactory recoveries, different extraction parameters were optimized, including extraction salts and d-SPE materials, extraction solvents and acetic acid contents in organic phase, and the ratios of solvent and water. Ultra pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to analyze the target compounds in the extracts. Among the 24 personal care products, the recoveries in the range of 70-120% were obtained for 20, 19, and 12 analytes in fish muscle at the spiking concentrations of 10, 5, and 1ng/g ww, respectively, and for 13, 12, and 11 analytes in liver at the spiking concentrations of 40, 20, and 4ng/g ww, respectively. Method quantification limits (MQLs) of all analytes were 0.02-2.12ng/g ww for fish muscle and 0.22-12.2ng/g ww for fish liver tissues. The method was successfully applied to wild fish samples collected from Dongjiang River, south China. Twenty-one and 17 of the analytes were found in fish muscle and liver samples, respectively, in at least one site of the river with the concentrations between below MQLs and 119ng/g ww, respectively. Graphical abstract Achieved satisfactory recoveries, high precision, and low method quantification limits (MQLs) for PCPs in wild fish tissues by QuEChERS procedure optimization combined with UPLC-MS/MS and GC-MS analyses.

Tissue-specific bioaccumulation of human and veterinary antibiotics in bile, plasma, liver and muscle tissues of wild fish from a highly urbanized region

We investigated the bioaccumulation of antibiotics in bile, plasma, liver and muscle tissues of wild fish from four rivers in the Pearl River Delta region. In total, 12 antibiotics were present in at least one type of fish tissues from nine wild fish species in the four rivers. The mean values of log bioaccumulation factors (log BAFs) for the detected antibiotics in fish bile, plasma, liver, and muscle tissues were at the range of 2.06–4.08, 1.85–3.47, 1.41–3.51, and 0.48–2.70, respectively. As the digestion tissues, fish bile, plasma, and liver showed strong bioaccumulation ability for some antibiotics, indicating a different bioaccumulation pattern from hydrophobic organic contaminants. Human health risk assessment based on potential fish consumption indicates that these antibiotics do not appear to pose an appreciable risk to human health. To the best of our knowledge, this is first report of bioaccumulation patterns of antibiotics in wild fish bile and plasma.

Occurrence, bioaccumulation and risk assessment of lipophilic pharmaceutically active compounds in the downstream rivers of sewage treatment plants

The occurrence, bioaccumulation and risk assessment of lipophilic pharmaceutically active compounds (LPhACs), such as antibiotics (roxithromycin, erythromycin and ketoconazole), anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen and diclofenac), β-blockers (propranolol), antiepileptics (carbamazepine) and steroid hormones (17α-ethinylestradiol), were investigated in the downstream rivers of sewage treatment plants in Nanjing, China. The results indicate that these LPhACs were widely detected in the surface water and fish samples, with the mean concentrations of the total LPhACs (ΣLPhACs) being in the range of 15.4 and 384.5ng/L and 3.0 and 128.4ng/g (wet weight), respectively. The bioaccumulation of the ΣLPhACs in wild fish tissues was generally in the order the liver>brain>gill>muscle. Among the target LPhACs, however, an interspecies difference in tissue distribution was evident for erythromycin. The bioaccumulation factors of LPhACs in the liver and brain, the two major targeted storage sites for toxicants, exhibited an obvious negative correlation with the aquatic concentrations (P<0.05). Finally, risk quotients posed by pharmaceuticals were assessed by comprehensive and comparative methods for different aquatic organisms (algae, daphnids and fish). The overall relative order of susceptibility was estimated to be algae>daphnids>fish. However, the results indicate that diclofenac, ibuprofen and 17α-ethinylestradiol each posed chronic risks for high trophic level organisms (fish). In all of the risk assessments, erythromycin was found to be the most harmful for the most sensitive algae group. In this work, however, the total BAF and toxicological interactions of pharmaceuticals were not performed due to the lack of metabolite information and combined toxicity data, which represents a major hindrance to the effective risk assessment of pharmaceuticals.

Metals and other elements in tissues of wild fish from fish farms and comparison with farmed species in sites with oxic and anoxic sediments

Farmed fish and wild fish aggregating in the vicinity of four Mediterranean fish farms with different environmental conditions were sampled. Levels of metals (including As and Se) were measured in the muscle, liver, gills, bone and intestine. The wild fish from sites with anoxic substrata accumulate metals (including As and Se) from the ambient habitat in their gills whereas those from sites with oxic substrata concentrate these elements through their diet in their intestine. Tissues of wild fish aggregating around farm cages accumulate a greater number of these elements and with higher concentrations than farmed fish. Habitat, diet, ecological needs, fat content of fish, and protein expression may play an important role in these element differences between fish species. Fe in flathead grey mullet, As in surmullet, rainbow wrasse, grey gurnard and picarel and Hg in bogue may pose a risk for human health. Farmed and wild fish are good sources of P, K, Cr and Se while flathead grey mullet, picarel and comber are excellent sources of Ca and Se.

Element levels in cultured and wild sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) from the Adriatic Sea and potential risk assessment

In this study, the role of aquaculture activity as a source of selected metals was analyzed. Significant differences in element content between cultured (Dicentrarchus labrax, Sparus aurata) and wild fishes as well as between fish muscle and their feed were detected. Higher concentrations of trace elements (i.e., As, Cu, Hg, Se) in wild fish tissues in comparison with cultured ones indicate additional sources of metals beside fish feed as natural and/or anthropogenic sources. Generally, mean Cd, Cu, Pb, Se, and Zn concentrations in cultured (0.016, 1.79, 0.14, 0.87, and 34.32μg/g, respectively) and wild (0.011, 1.97, 0.10, 1.78, and 23,54μg/g, respectively) fish samples were below the permissible levels, while mean As (2.57μg/g in cultured, 4.77μg/g in wild) and Cr (5.25μg/g in cultured, 2.92μg/g in wild) values exceeded those limits. Hg values were lower in cultured (0.17μg/g) and higher in wild (1.04μg/g) fish specimens. The highest elemental concentrations were observed in almost all fish samples from Korčula sampling site. The smallest cultured sea basses showed As (4.01μg/g), Cr (49.10μg/g), Pb (0.65μg/g), and Zn (136μg/g) concentrations above the recommended limits; however, values decreased as fish size increased. Therefore, the majority of metal concentrations in commercial fishes showed no problems for human consumption. Also calculated Se:Hg molar ratios (all >1) and selenium health benefit values (Se-HBVs) (all positive) showed that consumption of all observed fishes in human nutrition is not risk.

Element content in cultured and wild sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from the Adriatic Sea

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of potentially toxic elements in cultured and wild fish tissues and to assess their risk for human health. For this purpose, sea bass specimens ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) were sampled in selected fish farm and three other locations along the eastern Adriatic coast. Ranges of element concentrations in sea bass muscles were 1.60-4.46 ppm for As, 0.001-0.079 ppm for Cd, 0.14-49.10 ppm for Cr, 1.38-4.85 ppm for Cu, 0.11-1.31 ppm for Hg, 0.01-0.65 ppm for Pb and 21.9-136.0 ppm for Zn. Mean Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn concentrations in commercially interesting cultured fish samples were below the permissible levels, while mean As values slightly exceed those limits. In wild fishes mean Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations were below the recommended limits, for As, Cr and Hg the mean values were higher. The smallest cultured sea bass samples showed As, Cr, Pb, and Zn concentrations exceeding the recommended limits but values decreased with fish size. Therefore, the metal concentrations in commercial fishes showed no threat for human consumption.

Tissue Concentrations of Polybrominated Compounds in Chinese Sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis): Origin, Hepatic Sequestration, and Maternal Transfer

Information on concentrations of polybrominated compounds in various tissues of wild fish is limited. Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs), and hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs) were measured in 12 organs and eggs of 17 female Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis). The highest concentrations of PBDEs (42.8+/-39.4 ng/g ww), and MeO-PBDEs (135+/-63.6 pg/g ww) occurred in adipose followed by liver (PBDEs: 25.0+/-27.0 ng/g ww, MeO-PBDEs: 32.3+/-29.1 pg/g ww) and eggs (PBDEs: 21.2+/-19.4 ng/g ww, MeO-PBDEs: 120+/-119 pg/g ww), and the highest concentration of OH-PBDEs was observed in liver (185+/-174 pg/g ww) and eggs (178+/-294 pg/g ww). The lack of in vitro transformation of 6-MeO-BDE47 or BDE47 by microsomes prepared from Chinese sturgeon liver suggests that most 6-OH-BDE47 was directly accumulated as a natural product. Lipid-normalization revealed preferential accumulation of PBDEs in liver, and ratios of concentrations between eggs and liver were 0.10+/-0.11 to 0.22+/-0.26, which was lower than that for MeO-PBDEs (6-MeO-BDE47: 0.57+/-0.60, 2'-MeO-BDE68: 0.65+/-0.85) and 6-OH-BDE47 (0.59+/-0.51). Concentrations of PBDEs were negatively correlated with age, but no significant relationships between concentrations of OH-PBDEs or MeO-PBDEs and age were observed.

Stable isotope determination in wild and farmed gilthead sea bream ( Sparus aurata) tissues from the western Mediterranean

Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen ( δ 13C and δ 15N) have been determined in wild and farmed gilthead sea bream ( Sparus aurata) samples of white and red muscle, liver, gills and gonads. First, δ 13C and δ 15N values were determined in samples with and without lipid removal to check the possible effect of lipid content on the stable isotope values of the different tissues studied. Differences were found for δ 13C in all tissues studied apart from white muscle of wild fish, the tissue with the lowest lipid content. For δ 15N values no differences were found in wild fish tissues. Liver from farmed fish showed lower δ 15N value after lipid removing. Further conclusions were based on results obtained from lipid-free samples. δ 13C of cultured fish tissues showed a mean depletion of 2.9 ± 0.4‰ compared to wild specimens, suggesting different sources of carbon in the diet, probably due to the feed used during sea-cage culture. Cultured gilthead sea bream tissues were significantly more enriched in nitrogen than wild specimens by an average of 1.5 ± 0.2‰ in white muscle, indicating a slight increase in the trophic level. Determination of stable isotope signatures of gilthead sea bream tissues allows clear discrimination between wild and cultured sea bream, and characterisation of differences in diet and feeding conditions in any tissue studied.

Concentrations of alkyphenol polyethoxylates entering UK estuaries

Concentrations of the weakly oestrogenic degradation products of alkylphenol polyethoxylate (APE) surfactants (nonylphenol, octylphenol, nonylphenol monoethoxylate and nonylphenol diethoxylate) were measured in water and sediments from British rivers and estuaries collected during 1994 and 1995. In addition, a series of samples of tissues of wild fish from the River Aire, and from a laboratory dosing experiment were analysed for alkylphenols, to assess the degree of bioaccumulation of these compounds. Measurable concentrations of APE residues were recorded in the River Aire (15–76 μg/l total extractable alkylphenols), the River Mersey (6–11 μg/l) and the Tees estuary (up to 76 μg/l). These levels exceed, or are close to, the no observed effect concentration for the induction of vitellogenesis in caged trout (5–20 μg/l total extractable alkylphenols), and may be sufficient to exert an oestrogenic effect on fish populations in these areas. A sediment sample from Bingley on the River Aire contained 15 μg/g (dry weight) nonylphenol, and concentrations in sediments from the Tees and Mersey estuaries exceeded 1 μg/g. These rivers receive a variety of trade waters via sewage treatment works (STW) effluents containing significant concentrations of APE. Elsewhere, concentrations in water and sediments were near or below limits of detection and biological effects are unlikely, suggesting that any oestrogenic effects observed in sewage outfalls and rivers not directly impacted by APE-containing trade-waters may be caused by other chemicals. Analysis of samples of trout muscle taken from a tank dosed at 65 μg/l nonylphenol indicated a bioaccumulation factor of between 90 and 125 after 3 weeks exposure. Samples of wild fish from the River Aire contained up to 0.8 μg/g nonylphenol in the muscle, a tissue bioaccumulation factor of approximately 50 relative to measured concentrations in water samples. A series of fish samples taken from offshore for food quality assurance purposes contained no detectable levels of APE residues (0.05–0.1 μg/g nonylphenol).