Evaluation of ecotoxicological effects of endocrine disrupters during a four-year survey of the Mediterranean population of swordfish (Xiphias gladius).
In this project we investigated the ecotoxicological effects of endocrine disrupters in a four-year survey of the Mediterranean population of swordfish (Xiphias gladius). In the Mediterranean environment, top predators, such as swordfish, accumulate high concentrations of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs) and toxic metals, potentially incurring high toxicological risk. The effects of organochlorines and trace elements (Hg, Cd and Pb) in 192 swordfish specimens, caught in the Strait of Messina, Sicily, Italy, were investigated using vitellogenin (Vtg), zona radiata proteins (Zrp) and CYP1A (BPMO, EROD) activities. Vtg and Zrp were found to be dramatically induced in some adult male specimens, suggesting that this species is highly exposed to estrogens in the Mediterranean Sea. A role of organochlorines in this induction phenomenon is suggested by the statistically significant correlations between Zrp in plasma and PCB concentrations in muscle (p<0.032) and Vtg in plasma and PCB concentrations in liver (p<0.034) of male specimens. Levels of trace elements in liver were in the following ranges: Hg 1-22, Cd 1-28 and Pb 0-1.6 ppm d.w. These data indicate potential reproductive alterations in large pelagic fish and suggest the need for continuous monitoring to avoid reductions in the population of this fish species of high commercial and ecological interest.
Fossi
M Cristina
MC
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy. fossi@unisi.it
Casini
Silvia
S
Marsili
Letizia
L
Ancora
Stefania
S
Mori
Gabriele
G
Neri
Giovanni
G
Romeo
Teresa
T
Ausili
Antonella
A
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001579:Benzopyrene Hydroxylase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated / Q000633:toxicity*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity*; D010473:Perciformes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000378:metabolism; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000096:biosynthesis
D004527:Egg Proteins; D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014819:Vitellogenins; C423083:zona radiata protein, fish; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D001579:Benzopyrene Hydroxylase; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1