Publication
Title
The synergistic toxicity of Cd(II) and Cu(II) to zebrafish (**Danio rerio**) : effect of water hardness
Author
Abstract
We have evaluated the interactive toxicity of Cu(II) and Cd(II) in water with different hardness levels using adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). Zebrafish were exposed to Cd(II) (0.2–22 μM) or Cu(II) (0.1–8 μM) in single or binary exposures in very soft, moderately hard or very hard water. The whole body burdens of Cd(II) and Cu(II) reflect the net effect of biouptake and elimination, mortality was the indicator of toxicity, and whole body major ion content was measured to assess ion regulatory functions. Cu(II) was found to be more toxic than Cd(II) for zebrafish, and Cu(II) and Cd(II) exhibited a significant synergistic effect. The toxicity of metal ions increased upon decreasing the ionic strength of the exposure medium, probably due to elevated competition between metal ions with other cations in hard water and increased activity of Ca2+ pathways in soft water treatments. Whole body metal accumulation and the accumulation rate of both Cu and Cd increased as the metal ion concentration in the exposure medium increased. Nevertheless, neither parameter explained the observed synergistic effect on mortality. Finally, we observed a significant loss of whole body Na+ in fish which died during the metal exposure compared to surviving fish, irrespective of exposure conditions. Such an effect was not observed for other major cations (K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+). This observation suggests that, under the applied exposure conditions, survival was correlated to the capacity of the organism to maintain Na+ homeostasis.
Language
Dutch, English
Source (journal)
Chemosphere. - Oxford, 1972, currens
Publication
Oxford : 2020
ISSN
0045-6535 [print]
1879-1298 [online]
DOI
10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2020.125942
Volume/pages
247 (2020) , p. 1-18
Article Reference
125942
ISI
000527924400109
Pubmed ID
32069721
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Aquatic systems under multiple stress: a new paradigm for integration aquaculture and ecotoxicology research.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 27.01.2020
Last edited 02.10.2024
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