From catchment to fish: Impact of anthropogenic pressures on gill histopathology

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2016-04, Vol.550, p.972-986
• Main Authors: Fonseca, A.R., Sanches Fernandes, L.F., Fontainhas-Fernandes, A., Monteiro, S.M., Pacheco, F.A.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cyprinidae; Environmental Monitoring; Freshwater; Gill histopathology; Gills - drug effects; Gills - pathology; Heavy metals; Holistic approach; HSPF model; Luciobarbus; Portugal; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water quality
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.01.199

Gill histopathology was investigated in barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei) and nase (Pseudochondrostoma sp.) in sub-catchments of Paiva River (Portugal) located upstream and downstream of a Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). Multivariate statistical analyses were performed to set up correlations between the species sample (n=24) and injury types (8). The results discriminate well edema and vasodilatation between reference (upstream) and disturbed (downstream) samples. Using a watershed model, time series of physico-chemical parameters and heavy metal concentrations were calibrated and validated for the entire Paiva River basin as to investigate the relationship between water quality and the gill histopathology results. Increased concentrations of heavy metal downstream, specifically of zinc and lead, coincided with a higher severity of histopathological alterations in the fish gills. Significant but less evident relationship between water quality parameters and severity of gill injuries in the analyzed fish species were also observed for fecal coliforms, water temperature and manganese. Notwithstanding the location of the samples upstream and downstream of the WWTP, contamination of Paiva River and its effect on gill injuries cannot be disconnected from other punctual and diffuse pollution sources acting in different sectors within the watershed, namely agriculture and forest management. The severity of histopathological alterations in the fish gills reflected differences in the type and concentration of contaminants in Paiva River, and consequently can be viewed as valuable indicator of water quality. [Display omitted] •Gill histopathology of two fish species was evaluated from Paiva River;•Gill histopathological analysis revealed alterations in fish.•At reference location, mild disturbances were found in fish gills.•Gill histopathology is an important biomarker of metal contamination.•Paiva River suffers contamination from different sources of pollution.