Alkaline phosphatase activity as a biochemical biomarker in aqua-toxicological studies

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a glycoprotein with a metallophosphatase structure that catalyzes the hydrolysis of monophosphate esters of biomolecule esters at alkaline pH. ALP activity is a useful bioindicator to assess the physiological health of cellular membranes, cell growth, apoptosis and cell migration, cellular metabolic status, hepatocyte function, and detoxification activity in hepatocytes. ALP activity is detected in a colorimetric method using the para-nitrophenyl phosphate substrate (p-NPP) at a wavelength of 405 nm in biological samples. Cell hemolysis, especially erythrocytes; increased levels of sex hormones and corticosteroids, biological infections, and poor nutrition can adversely affect ALP activity

The Reproductive Biology of Shirbot (Barbus grypus Heckel, 1843) in the Maroon River, Iran

Shirbot (Barbus grypus) is one of the species in south and southwest of Iran which is greatly favorable to residents of the region. Unfavorable ecological conditions in habitat of this species and overfishing have led to the reduction of the population of shirbot. Therefore, to restore the natural stock of this species, identifying its reproductive cycle associated with its habitat is of a great importance. In this study, the reproductive status of shirbot in the Maroon River in Khuzestan Province was studied in six sampling steps during four seasons. Also, morphological indicators, sex ratio, age of fish, gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indices, histological changes in the testis and ovary of the fish were studied. The ratio of male fish to female was 2.35 to 1. The maximum value of gonadosomatic index (GSI) is among the specimens aged 3 to 5 years and in March and April. An increase of hepatosomatic index (HIS) during March may indicate the increased activity of liver during vitellogenesis and vitellogenin synthesis which is well verified by histological results of ovarian tissue. Based on our findings we recommend that the maximum reproductive activity of shirbot in the Maroon River starts around the end of March and continues to middle of July

Toxicological Interaction Effects of Herbicides and the Environmental Pollutants on Aquatic Organisms

Although herbicides are designed to remove or control weeds, pollution of water ecosystems with herbicides could have adverse effects on aquatic animals such as fish. The effect of herbicides on nontarget organisms may be different than expected, as herbicides may interact with another environmental contaminant. Since there are different contaminants in the water, fish may live in the cocktail of xenobiotics, including herbicides. Therefore, herbicides alone and in combination with other pollutants could affect fish physiology. Thus, the interaction of environmental contaminants with pesticides may create a situation in which a chemical affects the activity of a pesticide; that is, its effects increase or decrease or produce a new effect that neither of them creates on its own. These interactions may occur due to accidental misuse or lack of knowledge about the active ingredients in the relevant materials. This study aimed to review the effects of herbicides alone and in combination with other xenobiotics on various aspects of fish biology. In this study, different biomarkers were reviewed in fish exposed to herbicides

Acute toxicity of nonylphenol ethoxylate-6 to whiteleg shrimp, Penaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) (Decapoda, Penaeidae)

Nonylphenol ethoxylate-6 (NP6EO) is widely used in industrial and domestic products and easily detected in the environment. The toxicity and estrogenic potency of alkylphenols have been investigated in several studies. However, to the best of our knowledge available, acute toxicity data about the effects of NP6EO on decapod and aquatic ecosystem in literature is yet scarce. Therefore, in this study the adult male and female whiteleg shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, were exposed to various concentrations of NP6EO (0.04, 1, 5, 25, 125, 625 µL L-1) for four days. Acute toxicity potential of NP6EO on adult P. vannamei was assessed by calculating LC50 for different times. Median lethal concentration (LC50) of NP6EO at 96 hours was 7.017 μL L-1. The LC50 of this compound revealed a positive correlation between shrimp mortality and exposure periods. The data exhibited that NP6EO was considered as "toxic" to P. vannamei and further toxicity assessment to other species is strongly recommended

LC50 and bioaccumulation of lead nitrate (Pb(NO3)2) in Goldfish (Carassius auratus )

Lead is a metal with no known biological benefit to organisms. The present study focused on bioaccumulation of Lead in various organs of gold fish (Caracius auratus). Fishes were exposed to lead nitrate [Pb(NO3)2] at a series of concentrations 0.0 mg/L (control group), 0.09, 0.15, 0.24, 0.3, 0.36 and 0.45 mg/l, which were equivalent to approximately 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9% of 96 h LC50 for 28 days. After 28 days of exposure, 10 fish per treatment were captured and anesthetized under aquatic solution of clove powder (200 mg/L). Fishes were euthanized and the gill, viscera and muscle tissue were sampled and weighed. Then, lead concentrations were measured in different tissues of goldfish using ICP. Viscera had the highest lead bioaccumulation potential, followed by the gill. The muscles were least preferred site for detecting the bioaccumulation of Pb. In conclusion, although lead was found in all tissues tested, Pb bioaccumulation potential is variable depending on the tissue structure

Acute toxicity of Euphorbia turcomanica on Aphanius dispar

Piscicidal and molluscicidal activities of aqueous extracts of many members of the family Euphorbiaceae are well-known, but the toxicity potential of Euphorbia turcomanica was not yet studied on any aquatic animals. An acute toxicity test was performed by using a four-day static renewal test to determine the LC50 value of dried powder of E. turcomanica for the euryhaline fish, Aphanius dispar. The LC50 values at various exposure periods are 0.177±0.039 g/L for 24 hrs, 0.131±0.030 g/L for 48 hrs, 0.073±0.018 g/L for 72 hrs, and 0.052±0.013 g/L for 96 hrs. The toxicity of dried powder of E. turcomanica exhibits a positive correlation between fish mortality and exposure periods. As this is the first report about toxicity of E. turcomanica on A. dispar, the results could be only compared to that of other Euphorbiaceae as well as other fishes. It is concluded that the toxicity potential of E. turcomanica is comparable and close to that of well-documented Euphorbiaceae. It has been suggested that E. turcomanica products cannot be used directly in fish-inhabiting water reservoirs

Effects of Dimethoate and Bacilar fertilizer on biochemical and immunological parameters in common carp, Cyprinus carpio

Fish exposure to agrochemicals can suppress their immune system and survival. Therefore, this study investigates adverse effects of sublethal concentrations of Dimethoate alone or combined with Bacilar (an organophosphorus pesticide and bio-fertilizer) on the innate immune parameters of common carp, Cyprinus carpio, within 14 days. No significant changes were found in levels of total protein, immunoglobulin, the activity of lysozyme and complement C3 in fish exposed to Bacilar alone; however, globulin and complement C4 level indicated a significant reduction. Fish exposure to Dimethoate alone or combined with Bacilar resulted in a decrease in the activity of ACH50, lysozyme, complement C3, C4 and levels of total protein, globulin, and immunoglobulin in compared with the control group. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that innate immune parameters decreased in fish exposed to dimethoate and/or Bacilar. As consequences: Dimethoate or/and Bacilar have the immunosuppressive effect on fish

Effects of dietary supplementation of zinc oxide nanoparticles on some biochemical biomarkers in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

If the dose and duration of zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnO-NPs) supplementation optimize, low concentrations of Zn nanoparticles can replace conventional Zn sources in diets of different species of fish. Since evaluating the cytotoxicity of any nutritional supplement is one of the requirements for optimizing the dose for a specified time, we conducted this study to investigate the effects of oral administration of ZnO-NPs on oxidative stress and certain biochemical biomarkers in common carp, Cyprinus carpio, as an experimental model. For this purpose, ZnO-NPs were orally administered to fish for 21 days at 0 (control), 5, 10 and 15 mg kg-1 feed. Administration of ZnO-NPs (15 mg kg-1) significantly enhanced aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydro-genase (LDH) activities in liver, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and LDH activities in kidney. Dietary ZnO-NPs increased glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity in liver of fish. The results indicated that administration of 10 mg kg-1 and 15 mg kg-1 ZnO-NPs caused a significant increase in ALT and catalase (CAT) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in liver, AST and CAT activities and MDA levels in kidney. ZnO-NPs decreased the liver ALP activity. Administration of 5 mg kg-1 ZnO-NPs significantly increased the cellular total antioxidant (TA) levels in various tissues. Therefore, we suggest that oral administration of 10 and 15 mg kg-1 ZnO NPs caused cytotoxicity and alterations in oxidative biomarkers, but 5 mg ZnO-NPs per kg feed had no side effects on oxidative stress and biochemical biomarkers in fish