Fish bile as a biomarker for metal exposure.
Fish accumulate several trace elements in muscle, gills and liver, however studies also indicate that metals can be excreted through bile. Since metal contamination leads to modifications in bile composition, biliary excretion offers an alternative way to evaluate the presence of trace-elements. Bile is easier to obtain than other organs and presents a simpler matrix, making it easier for chemical pre-treatment. To verify if bile can be useful as a biomonitoring tool for metal contamination, liver and bile trace element concentrations were determined and correlated. The Artificial Neural Networks statistical technique was used to verify if liver trace-element quantification could be substituted by bile analysis. Results show that significant correlations were obtained between trace elements in bile and liver and the ANN validated the hypothesis that certain trace-elements in bile could be utilized instead of liver trace-elements. Further studies in this field are of interest to further validate this biomarker.
Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica-Rio de Janeiro-PUC-Rio, Rua Marquês de São Vicente 225, Gávea, CEP: 22453-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Rachel.hauser.davis@gmail.com
Rachel Ann
RA
Hauser-Davis
Frederico Freire
FF
Bastos
Terezinha Ferreira
TF
de Oliveira
Roberta Lourenço
RL
Ziolli
Reinaldo Calixto
RC
de Campos
D000818:Animals; D001646:Bile / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D005880:Gills / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity
D015415:Biomarkers; D008670:Metals; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical