Multi-biomarker Assessment in a Native Species Psalidodon eigenmanniorum Under Inorganic Mercury and Recovery Scenarios

• Published in: Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology 2022-08, Vol.83 (2), p.142-154
• Main Authors: Garnero, Paola L., Ballesteros, María L., Monferran, Magdalena V., Rivetti, Natalia G., Bistoni, María A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alertness; Aquatic organisms; Biomarkers; Condition factor; Contamination; Damage; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental assessment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Exposure; Fish; Gills; Indigenous species; Liver; Mercury; Mercury (metal); Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Native species; Organisms; Pollution; Predator-prey interactions; Prey; Psalidodon; Soil Science & Conservation; Toxicity; Water pollution
• ISSN: 0090-4341; 1432-0703
• DOI: 10.1007/s00244-022-00946-3

The increasing contamination of water bodies with mercury raises concerns about its possible effects on aquatic organisms. The combined use of several biomarkers allows researchers to study the impact of a chemical at different levels of biological organization. In the present work, we determined the response of histological (gills and liver), somatic (condition factor and hepato-somatic index), and behavioral (predator–prey relationship, through the presentation of a computer-animated image) biomarkers in the native species Psalidodon eigenmanniorum exposed to 100 µg L −1 of inorganic Hg (IHg) during 96 h. We also assessed whether there was a change in the biomarkers analyzed after 7 days in Hg-free water compared with those exposed to IHg. In exposed fish, IHg caused damage to the gills and liver tissues. The condition factor showed no difference between IHg-exposed organisms and control organisms, while the hepato-somatic index was lower in IHg-exposed fish. As for the behavioral analyses, it was observed that the presentation of a stimulus induced changes in the behavioral responses of fish exposed to IHg, which showed a heightened state of alertness with respect to control. On the other hand, after 7 days in Hg-free water, the organisms generally showed no changes in biomarkers compared with IHg-exposed fish. Our results contribute new data on IHg toxicity in a native species and provide information on the plasticity of damage to reverse itself. Furthermore, this work provides baseline information for environmental assessments in water bodies where mercury is present.