The use of alternative energies in hatcheries: an application of Life Cycle Analysis

Fish production requires great efforts and energies and causes different impacts/effects on the ecosystems. The development of aquaculture is possible, in the medium and long term, only if this is done responsibly, and if the production is reached from both an economic and environmental point of view. In our study we have worked on fry production using 1.5 g sized Dicentrarchus labrax obtained rearing larvae for 120 days after the hatching of the eggs

Characterization of the cellular damage induced by Aflatoxin B1 in sea bream (Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758) hepatocytes

Gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) is one of the most intensively farmed fish spe- cies in the Mediterranean, greatly studied for the relevant economic value, although its sensitivity to Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) has to be investigated, yet. The aim of this study was to perform an in vitro evalua- tion of cytotoxic potential of AFB1 on S. aurata hepatocytes in order to grade the range of AFB1 toxicity, and the boundary between acute and long-term toxicity. Primary monolayer cultures of hepatocytes from S. aurata juveniles were treated with a wide range of concentrations from 5x103 ng/ml to 2x10 2x10-5 ng/ml of AFB1 for a different period of exposure (24, 48, 72 hours). The cytotoxic activity was characterized by MTT reduction assay. After each exposition hepatocytes were examined for morphologic alterations and apoptosis induction. AFB1 exposure significantly reduced cell viability in a dose- and time-depend- ent manner. Dose-response curves obtained after 24, 48 and 72 hrs revealed that prolonged exposure times lead to a significant increase of the toxicpotencyofAFB toxic potency of AFB AFB1. Ourresultsdemonstratethat Our results demonstrate that S. aurata hepatocytes are highly sensitive to AFB1 exposure. Such scientific findings could provide new insights to investigate the real impact of aflatoxin on marine farmed fish

Effect of feed supplementation with Origanum vulgare L. essential oil on sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax): A preliminary framework on metabolic status and growth performances

This study provided a preliminary framework for the effects of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil (EO) on sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) health status over a 60-day feeding trial. Fish were fed twice a day until apparent satiety with three different diets: a control diet (CD), and two experimental diets supplemented with 100 (D100) and 200 (D200) ppm of oregano EO. No mortality was observed in each treatment. Feeding on D100 diet resulted in high growth performances and better food conversion and protein efficiency ratios. Additionally, the supplementation of 100 ppm EO diet also improved (P < 0.05) hepatosomatic and viscerosomatic indices, compared both to control and D200 diets. EO feeding positively affected (P < 0.05) several serum biochemical indices (amylase activity and total proteins, glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels). Focusing on the antioxidant potential of blood, D100 led to the highest (P < 0.05) ferric reducing antioxidant power values and the lowest (P < 0.05) thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances levels in blood