Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in fish from the Dianchi Lake, China using the integrated biomarker response approach

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2020-12, Vol.27 (36), p.45712-45721
• Main Authors: Gao, Ying, Fang, Li, Xiang, Qian Qian, Wang, Di, Ding, Liu Yong, Ding, Cheng Zhi, Chen, Li Qiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase; Aquatic environment; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biomarkers; Cadmium; Carassius auratus; China; Contamination; Copper; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecological risk assessment; Ecotoxicology; Environment; environmental assessment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Fish; food safety; Glutathione; Glutathione peroxidase; Heavy metals; Lakes; Lead; Malondialdehyde; Mercury (metal); Metallothionein; Metals; Monitoring; Muscles; Peroxidase; pollution; Research Article; risk; Risk assessment; sodium-potassium-exchanging ATPase; Superoxide dismutase; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10434-7

This study used the integrated biomarker response (IBR) index approach to assess the ecological risks of heavy metals in different regions of Dianchi Lake, combined with active monitoring and passive monitoring. The contents of five heavy metals (Cu, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) and six biomarkers (acetylcholinesterase, sodium-potassium ATPase, metallothionein, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde) in the muscles of crucians ( Carassius auratus ) were measured to calculate the IBR value. The results indicate that the contents of heavy metal in the fish under active monitoring and passive monitoring were rather low and did not exceed the National Food Safety Standards of China. The IBR value of day 14 of active monitoring correlated with the heavy metal Cd content in the fish, suggesting a potential risk of Cd pollution in the aquatic environment of Dianchi Lake. The IBR values obtained for different regions of the lake on day 14 can be arranged in the following order: West S3 (9.24) > East S1 (3.97) > South S2 (2.39) > North S4 (0.36). These results suggest a potential risk of heavy metal contamination in the western part of Dianchi Lake.