Concentrations of halogenated pesticides in freshwater fish can be affected by age, size, trophic position, and exposure history. Exposure history may vary for individual fish caught at a single location due to different life histories, e.g. they may have hatched in different tributaries before migrating to a specific lake. We evaluated correlations of pesticide concentrations in freshwater brown trout (Salmo trutta) from the Clutha River, New Zealand, with potential predictors including capture site, age, length, trophic level, and life history. Life history was determined from otolith (fish ear bone) strontium isotope signatures, which vary among tributaries in the region of our study. Variability in pesticide concentrations between individual fish was not well explained by capture site, age, length, or trophic level. However, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and chlorpyrifos concentrations were distinct in lake-based trout with different life histories. Additionally, one of the riverine life histories was associated with relatively high concentrations of total endosulfans. Linear models that included all potential predictor variables were evaluated and the resulting best models for HCB, chlorpyrifos, and total endosulfans included life history. These findings show that in cases where otolith isotope signatures vary geographically, they can be used to help explain contaminant concentration variations in fish caught from a single location.

Freshwater ecosystems are facing increasing contamination by major ions. The Multi-Ion Toxicity (MIT) model, a new tool for risk assessment and regulation, predicts major ion toxicity to aquatic organisms by relating it to a critical disturbance of the trans-epithelial potential (TEP) across the gills, as predicted by electrochemical theory. The model is based on unproven assumptions. We tested some of these by directly measuring the acute TEP responses to a geometric series of 10 different single salts (NaCl, Na₂SO₄, KCl, K₂SO₄, CaCl₂, CaSO₄, MgCl₂, MgSO₄, NaHCO₃, KHCO₃) in the euryhaline rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and the stenohaline goldfish (Carassius auratus) acclimated to very soft, ion-poor water (hardness 10 mg CaCO₃/L). Results were compared to 24-h and 96-h LC50 data from the literature, mainly from fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). All salts caused concentration-dependent increases in TEP to less negative/more positive values, in patterns well-described by the Michaelis-Menten equation, or a modified version incorporating substrate inhibition. The ΔTEP above baseline became close to a maximum at the 96-h LC50, except for the HCO₃⁻ salts. Furthermore, the range of ΔTEP values at the LC50 within one species was much more consistent (1.6- to 2.1-fold variation) than the molar concentrations of the different salts at the LC50 (19- to 25-fold variation). ΔTEP responses were related to cation rather than anion concentrations. Overall patterns were qualitatively similar between trout and goldfish, with some quantitative differences, and also in general accord with recently published data on three other species in harder water where ΔTEP responses were much smaller. Blood plasma Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations were minimally affected by the exposures. The results are in accord with most but not all of the assumptions of the MIT model and support its further development as a predictive tool.

So far only a few publications have explored the development of extraction methods of cyanotoxin extracted from complex matrices. With regard to cyanobacterial microcystins (MCs), the data on the contamination of the flesh of aquatic organisms is hard to compare and very limited due to the lack of validated methods. In recent years, evidence that both free and bound fractions of toxin are found in these tissues has highlighted the need to develop effective methods of quantification. Several techniques do exist, but only the Lemieux oxidation has so far been used to investigate complex tissue matrices. In this study, protocols based on the Lemieux approach were adapted for the quantitative chemical analysis of free MC-LR and MMPB derived from bound toxin in the tissues of juvenile trout gavaged with MC-LR. Afterwards, the NF V03 110 guideline was used to characterize the protocols elaborated and evaluate their effectiveness.

Aerobic performance in fish is linked to individual and population fitness and can be impacted by anthropogenic contaminants. Exposure to some engineered nanomaterials, including silver nanoparticles (nAg), reduces rates of oxygen consumption in some fish species, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In addition, their effects on swim performance have not been studied. Our aim was to quantify the impact of exposure to functionalized nAg on aerobic scope and swim performance in rainbow trout (Oncorhychus mykiss) and to characterize the contribution of changing rates of protein synthesis to these physiological endpoints. Fish were exposed for 48 h to 5 nm polyvinylpyrolidone-functionalized nAg (nAgPVP; 100 μg L⁻¹) or 0.22 μg L⁻¹ Ag⁺ (as AgNO₃), which was the measured quantity of Ag released from the nAgPVP over that time period. Aerobic scope, critical swimming speed (Ucᵣᵢₜ), and fractional rates of protein synthesis (Kₛ), were then assessed, along with indicators of osmoregulation and cardiotoxicity. Neither nAgPVP, nor Ag⁺ exposure significantly altered aerobic scope, its component parts, or swim performance. Kₛ was similarly unaffected in 8 tissue types, though it tended to be lower in liver of nAgPVP treated fish. The treatments tended to decrease gill Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity, but effects were not significant. The latter results suggest that a longer or more concentrated nAgPVP exposure may induce significant effects. Although this same formulation of nAgPVP is bioactive in other fish, it had no effects on rainbow trout under the conditions tested. Such findings on common model animals like trout may thus misrepresent the safety of nAg to more sensitive species.

Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cd and Pb levels were measured in liver and muscle samples of Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss collected from three watersheds with different land-uses: native forest, exotic plantation, and agriculture in Chile, during January, April, July, and October 2012. Cd and Pb levels were not detected in the liver and muscle, probably since they are under the detection limits. Higher metal concentrations (liver-muscle tissues) were detected in samples from agriculture and exotic plantation streams, whereas trout from native forest streams had lower metal concentrations. Higher metal concentrations were detected in liver tissue compared to muscle tissue, and both negatively correlated to the length and weight of the fish. This suggest the liver had higher ability to accumulate Cu, Mn, Fe and Zn compared to muscle tissue. The concentration range of Fe and Zn recorded in the muscle are within the range reported by other authors, whereas Mn and Cu concentrations are higher than reported in the literature. However, at all sites the concentration of selected metals were below the limits permitted by current legislation (FAO), and therefore did not put the human population at risk, suggesting that is eating wild rainbow trout safe in Chile.

Hepatic mRNA levels of the dio2 gene (deiodinase 2), implicated in thyroid hormone homeostasis, were analyzed in trout from six remote lakes in the Pyrenees (Spain) and the Tatra Mountains (Slovakia). Highest levels corresponded to fish from the two coldest lakes in Pyrenees, whereas relatively low levels were found in the Tatra lakes. These values correlated with the presence of highly-brominated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) congeners in the muscle of the same animals, reflecting the distribution of these compounds across European mountain ranges. In contrast, cyp1a expression levels, diagnostic for the presence of dioxin-like pollutants, mirrored the distribution of semi-volatile organochlorine compounds, indicating the specificity of the two types of biological responses. Exposure to PDBEs is known to increase transcription of dio2 and other thyroid-related genes in laboratory experiments; we propose that our data reflects the same phenomenon in natural populations, driven by anthropogenic pollutants at the environmental concentrations.

The River Hayle in south-west England is impacted with metals and can be divided into three regions depending on the copper and zinc concentrations: a low-metal upper section; a highly-contaminated middle section and a moderately contaminated lower section. Hayle river water is toxic to metal-naive brown trout, but brown trout are found in the upper and lower regions. The study aimed to evaluate the population genetic structure of River Hayle brown trout and to determine if the highly-contaminated section acts as a chemical barrier to migration. Population genetic analysis indicated that metals were not a barrier to gene flow within the river, but there was a high level of differentiation observed between fish sampled at two sites in the upper region, despite being separated by only 1 km. The metal tolerance trait exhibited by this brown trout population may represent an important component of the species genetic diversity in this region.

In streams, chemicals such as 17β-estradiol (E2) are likely to occur in pulses. We investigated uptake and biomarker responses in juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) of 3- or 6-h pulses of concentrations up to 370 ng E2 L⁻¹. Uptake by the fish was estimated from disappearance of E2 from tank water. A single 6-h pulse of 370 ng E2 L⁻¹ increased the plasma vitellogenin concentration, liver Erα- and vitellogenin-mRNA. Exposure to 150–160 ng E2 L⁻¹ for 6 h increased vitellogenin in one experiment but not in another. Two 6-h pulses had a larger effect one pulse. Brown trout in the size range 24–74 g took up E2 linearly with time and exposure concentration with a concentration ratio rate of 20.2 h⁻¹. In conclusion, the threshold for induction of estrogenic effects in juvenile brown trout at short term pulse exposure appears to be in the range 150–200 ng E2 L⁻¹.

The Subantarctic Kerguelen Islands (49°S, 70°E) contain freshwater ecosystems among the most isolated in the world. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were assessed in the muscle of 48 brook trout and 38 brown trout caught during summer and spring 2006 in the rivers, lakes and ponds of Kerguelen. The sum of 29 PCBs averaged 404 and 358ngg⁻¹ lipid, and dioxin-like PCB was 19 and 69ngg⁻¹ lipid, in brook and brown trout, respectively. The values showed a high variability and some fish accumulated PCBs at levels similar to those of fish from impacted areas. While inter-sex differences were limited, the season and the morphotype appeared to have the most influence. Fish captured in summer had muscle PCB concentrations about three times higher than those caught in spring and the ‘river’ morphotype of brook trout showed the highest PCB levels.

Palladium/magnetite nanoparticulate catalysts were developed for efficient elimination of halogenated organic pollutants from contaminated wastewater. Particle recovery from treated water can be ensured via magnetic separation. However, in worst-case scenarios, this catalyst removal step might fail, leading to particle release into the environment. Therefore, a toxicological study was conducted to investigate the impact of both pure magnetite and palladium/magnetite nanoparticle exposure upon human skin (HaCaT) and human colon (CaCo-2) cell lines and a cell line from rainbow trout gills (RTgill-W1). To quantify cell viability after particle exposure, three endpoints were examined for all tested cell lines. Additionally, the formation of reactive oxygen species was studied for the human cells. The results showed only minor effects of the particles on the tested cell systems and support the assumption that palladium/magnetite nano-catalysts can be implemented for a new wastewater treatment technology in which advantageous catalyst properties outweigh the risks. Impact of nano-Pd/magnetite on cell viability was studied and appears to be low.