title: A primary FIsh Gill Cell System (FIGCS) for environmental monitoring of river waters.
abstract: Studies were conducted to assess the feasibility of a primary FIsh Gill Cell culture system (FIGCS) for both laboratory and field based environmental monitoring of rivers known to be affected by metal contamination. FIGCS were exposed in the laboratory and in the field to water from the River Hayle, a metal-contaminated system in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Water chemistry, including transition metal concentrations, changes in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), cell viability and the expression of metal responsive genes, metallothionein A and B were measured. FIGCS tolerated river water in the laboratory showing no loss in TEER or cell viability following 24h exposure. The cells also tolerated transport to the field (∼1000 km and 30 h) and exposure to unfiltered and filtered river water. Metallothionein A and B, a measure of intracellular biologically active metals, expression was induced in the laboratory and field on exposure to water from sites with elevated metal concentrations compared to those sites where metal levels were below water metal Environmental Quality Standards. This demonstrates that FIGCS detects bioreactive metals in river waters on exposure in the laboratory or field and can be used for on-site environmental monitoring as well as investigations into bioavailability and toxicity of contaminant mixtures in natural waters.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Metals Metabolism Group, Division of Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences, Franklin Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minghetti
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Metals Metabolism Group, Division of Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences, Franklin Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schnell
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Department of Geography, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Chadwick
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Metals Metabolism Group, Division of Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences, Franklin Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hogstrand
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Metals Metabolism Group, Division of Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences, Franklin Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom. Electronic address: nic.bury@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Nic R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Bury
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005880:Gills / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D008670:Metals / Q000633:toxicity*; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008668:Metallothionein
keywords: Biotic ligand model; Environmental monitoring; Fish; Gill; Metal mixtures; Metallothionein