Technical suitability and reliability of an in vivo and non-invasive biosensor-type glucose assessment as a potential biomarker for multiple stressors in fishes: an evaluation on Salmonids

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2022-06, Vol.29 (27), p.41187-41206
• Main Authors: Makaras, Tomas, Razumienė, Julija, Gurevičienė, Vidutė, Sauliutė, Gintarė, Stankevičiūtė, Milda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acceptance; Animals; Anthropogenic factors; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biomarkers; Biosensing Techniques; Biosensors; Blood; Blood circulation; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Ecotypes; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Evaluation; Exposure; Fish; Gills; Glucose; Hematocrit; In vivo methods and tests; Invasive fish; Leachates; Recovery; Reliability analysis; Reproducibility of Results; Research Article; Salmo trutta; Salmonidae; Salmonids; Stress (physiology); Swimming; Swimming behavior; Trout - physiology; Waste Water Technology; Water; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-18546-y

Regardless of the wide use of glucose measurements in stress evaluation, there are some inconsistencies in its acceptance as a stress marker. To meet the challenge and test the reliability/suitability of glucose measurement in practice, we simulated different environmental/anthropogenic exposure scenarios in this study. We aimed to provoke stress in fish followed by a 2-week stress recovery period and under the cumulative effect of leachate fish exposed to pathogenic oomycetes ( Saprolegnia parasitica ) to represent a possible infection in fish. We selected stream-resident and anadromous brown trout ecotypes ( Salmo trutta ) representing salmonids with different migratory behaviour strategies. Here, we analysed glucose content in fish-holding water, blood and gills to determine glucose suitability as a potential biomarker of fish response to environmental challenges. Additionally, swimming behavioural parameters and haematocrit were measured. The results indicated that the quantity of glucose released in the holding water of stressed fish increased considerably and remained substantially higher throughout the stress recovery period than the control level. Correspondingly, the circulating levels of glucose in blood and gills decreased over time in fish exposed to different stressors. A significant decrease in swimming activity of fish was observed during the first hours of leachate exposure and increased in fish exposed to S. parasitica compared to control. Our study is the first to ensure the validity and reliability of glucose response in evaluating physiological stress in fish under chemical and biological stimuli, indicating its sensitivity and response range of glucose measurement in fish-holding water.