Long-term effect of temperature on bioaccumulation of dietary metals and metallothionein induction in Sparus aurata

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2012-06, Vol.87 (11), p.1215-1221
• Main Authors: Guinot, Diana, Ureña, Rocío, Pastor, Agustín, Varó, Inmaculada, Ramo, Jose del, Torreblanca, Amparo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Autoecology; Bioaccumulation factor; Biological and medical sciences; Diet; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Liver - chemistry; Liver - drug effects; Metal; Metallothionein; Metallothionein - metabolism; Metals - chemistry; Metals - metabolism; Metals - toxicity; Muscles - chemistry; Muscles - drug effects; Sea Bream - metabolism; Sea water ecosystems; Sparus aurata; Synecology; Temperature
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.01.020

► Temperature has an influence on MT and on metal accumulation in gilthead sea bream. ► Cadmium and mercury accumulation are the most sensitive to temperature. ► Essential metal homeostasis was disturbed at the warmest temperature. ► MT content was correlated with cadmium, copper, mercury, zinc and iron content in liver. Previous studies have demonstrated that the commercial feed of aquacultured fish contains trace amounts of toxic and essential metals which can accumulate in tissues and finally be ingested by consumers. Recently rising temperatures, associated to the global warming phenomenon, have been reported as a factor to be taken into consideration in ecotoxicology, since temperature-dependent alterations in bioavailability, toxicokinetics and biotransformation rates can be expected. Sparus aurata were kept at 22°C, 27°C and 30°C for 3months in order to determine the temperature effect on metallothionein induction and metal bioaccumulation from a non-experimentally contaminated commercial feed. A significant temperature-dependent accumulation of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and iron (Fe) was found in liver, together with that of manganese (Mn), Fe and Zn in muscle. Hg presented the highest bioaccumulation factor, and essential metal homeostasis was disturbed in both tissues at warm temperatures. An enhancement of hepatic metallothionein induction was found in fish exposed to the highest temperature.