Effect of zeta-cypermethrin on common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of pesticide Fury 10 EW, containing zeta-cypermethrin 100 g.l-1, on common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). DESIGN: The toxicity tests were performed on common carp according to OECD 203 methodologies. The common carp were exposed to Fury 10 EW at concentrations, 5, 7, 10, 50 and 100 µg.l-1 for 96 h and compared to common carp in a non-treated control group. Acute toxicity tests were detected value 96hLC50=13.8 µg.l-1. On the basis of the results was assessed the effect on the hematological profile, oxidative stress parameters, and antioxidants biomarkers in tissues, in another acute test. RESULTS: The observed 96hLC50 value of Fury 10 EW was 13.8 µg.l-1. A significantly lower large lymphocyte and monocyte count, and a significantly greater number of segmented eosinophil granulocyte and higher hematocrit was found in the pesticide-exposed common carp compared to controls. Oxidative damage was not detected in the experimental common carp, however there were significant differences from control in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) in tissue after acute exposure to 13.8 µg.l-1 Fury 10 EW. CONCLUSIONS: Zeta-cypermethrin as Fury 10 EW was classified as a substance highly toxic to fish. The hematological profile well oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant defensive systems provide important information about the internal environment of organisms. There is a lack of experimental results about the effects of zeta-cypermethrin on fish in the literature.

Mercury in human hair as an indicator of the fish consumption.

OBJECTIVES: Mercury and most of its compounds are extremely toxic and should be handled with care. It can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes. The most toxic forms of mercury are its organic compounds such as dimethylmercury and methylmercury. Fish have a natural tendency to accumulate mercury. Methylmercury is produced by microbial methylation of inorganic mercury in water sediment then it infiltrates the food chain and it consequently accumulates in fish. Fish are the main source of methylmercury in human food. Mercury is transferred into a hair; and this can be than used to monitor the long-term exposure to mercury. The content of mercury in hair depends on the frequency of fish consumption. The aim of our study was to compare mercury content in the hair of children that had various amounts of fish consumption (increased or reduced). DESIGN: Total mercury content in hair was determined by direct method of cold vapors using an AMA 245 analyzer. A total of 174 hair samples from the children (9-17 years old) were analyzed. In this study, the following localities were compared: Neratovice (n=42), Jeseníky (n=44), Prague (n=59) in Czech Republic and Olsztyn in Poland (n=29). Every sample was accompanied with questionnaire about age, gender, regions, amalgam fillings and fish consumption. RESULTS: We did not find a correlation between the content of mercury in hair with age, gender or amalgam fillings. We did find a correlation between fish consumption and the amount of mercury found in the hair samples. CONCLUSION: The amount of mercury in hair increases with more frequent consumption of freshwater and marine fish.

Effects of cypermethrin on some haematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.).

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed at assessing the effects of a pyrethroid cypermethrin on common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) on the basis of the results of acute toxicity tests and haematological, biochemical and histological examinations. METHODS: Experimental carp were exposed to the pesticide preparation Alimetrin 10 EM in the concentration of 29.1 microg/l(-1) (96hLC(50)) corresponding to 29.1 microg/l(-1) of cypermethrin in a 96 h acute toxicity test. The results of the test and of the examinations of exposed carp were compared with the results of carp from the control group. RESULTS: In haematological profile, the experimental group of carp showed a significant (P<0.01) increase in the number of erythrocytes, segmented neutrophile granulocytes, developmental forms of myeloid sequence and eosinophiles, and a significant (P<0.01) decrease in mean erythrocyte volume, mean erythrocyte haemoglobin and lymphocyte count. As far as biochemical indices are concerned, the exposure caused a significant (P<0.01) increase in glucose and lactate concentration and creatine kinase activity, and a significant (P<0.01) decrease in total proteins, albumins, total globulins, ammonia, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase in blood plasma of exposed carp compared to the control group. Histopathological tissue examinations proved random hyperaemia and perivascular lymphocyte infiltration in skin, respiratory epithelium hyperplasia and chloride cell activation in gills, and pancreas exocrine cell vacuolisation in common carp after the exposure. CONCLUSIONS: The exposure of common carp to 29.1 microg/l(-1) of Alimetrin 10 EM caused significant shifts in haematological and biochemical profile and histopathological changes in organ tissues. The cypermethrin-based pesticide Alimetrin 10 EM was classified among substances strongly toxic for fish.

Fish monogeneans from a shallow, eutrophic Oswin Lake in Poland.

BACKGROUND: A study was carried out in a shallow, eutrophic Oswin Lake, within Seven Islands Reserve (north-eastern Poland), in order to determine the infection of fish with monogeneans as sensitive indicators of water quality. This paper presents comparative analysis of the occurrence of Monogenea in fishes from two, distinctly separated pools of the lake, differing in environmental conditions. The impact of fish size and sampling season on the infection parameters was also analyzed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 1998 and 1999, a total of 1091 fish representing 8 dominant species were examined. Samples were collected four times a year (in May, July, August, and October) simultaneously from the eastern and western parts of the lake. RESULTS: 16 species of Monogenea (and some unidentified specimeus) occurred in the fish examined, most of them from the Dactylogyridae family: Dactylogyrus sphyrna, D. auriculatus, D. intermedius, D. anchoratus, D. falcatus, D. tincae, D. wunderi, D. zandti, D. difformis, D. nanus, D. distinguendus, D. crucifer, D. caballeroi. Furthermore, Tetraonchus monenteron (Tetraonchidae), Gyrodactylus elegans (Gyrodactylidae), and Paradiplozoon megan (Diplozoidae) were detected. Monogenea occurred abundantly on the gills of pike, roach, rudd, white bream, carp bream and crucian carp, but rather sporadically in tench and perch. The highest species variety and diversity of monogenean guilds were detected in carp bream and roach. It was proved that D. crucifer and D. difformis were significantly more abundant in the western pool compared to the eastern one. Infection of fish with Dactylogyridae was season-dependent, contrary to the infection of pike with T. monenteron. Intensity of infection of white bream with D. sphyrna and roach with D. crucifer increased with fish body length; such a relationship did not appear for the other monogeneans and their hosts. CONCLUSION: Presence of common Monogenea in the fish examined, lack of rare species, poor diversity of monogenean guilds and relatively low infection rate could be connected with the low stability of the lake environment. Location-dependent occurrence of D. crucifer and D. difformis indicated that the exchange between fish groups from the eastern and western parts of the lake is limited.

Various aspects of piscine toxicology.

In opposition to toxicology of mammals piscine toxicology is closely connected with the conditions of external environment. The aquatic environment is necessary for embryonic development and after hatching during short or long-lasting larval period of most fish species. An aquatic environment is polluted by many industrial and agricultural wastes. Ammonia as a toxic and common compound in water have negative influence for aquaculture especially in intensive fish culture, recirculation system and hatchery facilities. Acute toxicity of ammonia was investigated in carp Cyprinus carpio L. and developmental stages of chub Squalius cephalus L. Changes in the peripheral blood characteristics and hemopoietic tissues of carp occurred after exposition to ammonia in acute tests and 3, 5 and 10 weeks sublethal concetration. The observed increase of the concentration of most amino acids in fish intoxicated with amonia suggests that the process reflects detoxication of ammonia which takes place both in the brain and muscles after 3 weeks of exposition. Phenol intoxication tests induced considerable unfavorable changes in the blood and dystrophic and necrobiotic lesions in tissues of fish leading to dysfunction both hemopoietic and reproductive processes.In study on fish reproduction disruptors the influence of oxygenated polycyclic hydrocarbons (17-ß-estradiol, 4,7-dihydroxyisoflavone, 1,6-dihydroxynaphthalene and 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene) and oxygenated monocyclic hydrocarbons (phenol, 4-n-heptylphenol, 4-n-buthylphenol, 4-sec-buthylphenol; 4-tert-buthylphenol) was assessed using histopathological methods. It was established that examined oxygenated aromatic hydrocarbons both natural (17-ß-estradiol and 4,7-dihydroxyisoflavone) and synthetic can disrupt the differentiation of primary and secondary sex traits in pikeperch Sander lucioperca L. The chronic activity of these "biomimetics of estrogen" can lead to the disappearance of natural fish population. In vivo and in vitro tests were used to exam dibutyl phthalate and butyl benzyl phthalate impact on the development of the reproductive system of pikeperch. Additional as multigenerational studies are needed to clarify influence long term exposure of fish to environmental concentrations of endocrine disrupting chemicals.Hydrogen peroxide used in fish therapy is known to be toxic for sensitive species. In our work safe concentrations and exposure times was evaluated for ide Leuciscus idus L. and pike Esox lucius L. fry. The intensity of lesions in gills, skin, pseudobranch and thymus of exposed fish were connected with the time of bath.Actually anesthetics are routinely required during stressful procedures with fish, but data regarding the safety of individual anesthetics to different fish species are still few and insufficient. The influence of clove oil, MS-222 and 2-phenoxyaethanol anesthesia on fish organism was investigated in our faculty with cooperation with Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, Vodnany, Czech Republic.