title: Long-term exposures to di-n-butyl phthalate inhibit body growth and impair gonad development in juvenile Murray rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis).
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether long-term exposures to environmentally relevant concentrations of di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) disrupt the reproduction-based endpoints in juvenile Murray rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis). Fish were exposed to 5, 15 or 50 µg l(-1) DnBP for 30, 60 and 90 days each, and the effects on survival, body growth, whole-body concentrations of sex steroid hormones and gonadal development were investigated. The lowest observed effective concentration to affect the condition factor after 90 days was 5 µg l(-1). Complete feminization of the gonad was noted in fish exposed to 5 µg l(-1) for 90 days and to 15 and 50 µg l(-1) of DnBP for 30 or 60 days. After 90 days of exposure to DnBP, the ovaries were regressed and immature as opposed to the control fish which were in early-vitellogenic stage. Testes, present only in fish exposed to 5 µg l(-1) of DnBP for 30 or 60 days, were immature in comparison to the control fish that contained testes in the mid-spermatogenic phase. The E2/11-KT ratio was significantly higher only after exposures to 5 µg l(-1) DnBP for 90 days and 50 µg l(-1) DnBP for 30 days. Our data suggest that exposures to 5 µg l(-1) DnBP for 30 days did not have profound effects on body growth and gonadal differentiation of fish. However, 30 days of exposure to 15 µg l(-1) could interfere with the gonad development and to 50 µg l(-1) could compromise the hormonal profile of juvenile fish.
authors.affiliation: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, PMB 2, Glen Osmond, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia.|School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research Institute, PMB 1, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia.
authors.forename: Harpreet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.affiliation: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, PMB 2, Glen Osmond, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia.
authors.forename: Anupama
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Office of Environment and Heritage, PMB 29, Lidcombe, NSW, 1825, Australia.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.affiliation: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, PMB 2, Glen Osmond, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia.|School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research Institute, PMB 1, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia.
authors.forename: Mike J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004958:Estradiol / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000254:growth & development*; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000032:analysis; D006066:Gonads / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate; D004958:Estradiol
keywords: chronic exposure; gonadal differentiation; phthalates; sexually-undifferentiated fish; steroid hormones