Kinetic analysis of the swimming behavior of the goldfish, Carassius auratus, exposed to nickel: Hypoactivity induced by sublethal concentrations
- Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (United States); and others
The discharge of nickel into aquatic environments from numerous industries poses a threat to fish populations because of its toxcity. Although little is known, however, about the precise mechanism of its toxicity in freshwater fish, it produces some of the symptoms associated with heavy-metal poisoning in general; it accumulates in fish tissues and results in alterations in gill structure, including hypertrophy of respiratory and mucous cells, separation of the epithelial layer from the pillar cell system, cauterization and sloughing, and necrosis of the epithelium. The destruction of the gill lamellae decreases the ventilation rate and if severe, as after acute exposure, may cause blood hypoxia and death. The effects of short-term exposure of fish to sublethal concentrations of nickel and not as well defined. The kinetic method of Ellgaard et al., which uses locomotor activity to assess the general health of fish, is ideally suited to examine whether sublethal concentrations of nickel adversely affect fish. In previous studies, the measured changes in locomotor activity observed when fish are exposed to pollutants correlate with more specific changes, e.g., physiological, biochemical, histological or neurosensory changes, which occur under the same conditions. Thus, the kinetic method also meets the criterial for pollution early warning systems as discussed by Cairns and van der Schale. This method has previously been used to demonstrate that short-term exposure to sublethal concentrations of the heavy metals cadmium, chromium, and zinc and copper are detrimental to the health of bluegills. The present study examines the effects of short-term exposures of sublethal concentrations of nickel on the locomotor activity of the goldfish, Carassius auratus. 11 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 135826
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Vol. 55, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: Dec 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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