TY - JOUR
T1 - Multi-organ histopathology in gobies for estuarine environmental risk assessment
T2 - A case study in the Ibaizabal estuary (SE Bay of Biscay)
AU - Cuevas, N.
AU - Zorita, Izaskun
AU - Franco, Javier
AU - Costa, P. M.
AU - Larreta, Joana
N1 - This work was funded by Bilbao Bizkaia Water Consortium and The Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through FISHEALTH project ( CTM-2012-40203-C02-02 ). N. Cuevas was benefited from a PhD Scholarship granted by the Iñaki Goenaga - Technology Centres Foundation . P.M. Costa acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology for the grant ref. SFRH/BPD/72564/2010 . In the present work, granulometric and chemical data of sediments were obtained from the Basque Water Agency (URA). Comments from two anonymous reviewers have improved the manuscript considerably. This paper is contribution number 743 from the Marine Research Division of AZTI.
PY - 2016/9/20
Y1 - 2016/9/20
N2 - Multi-organ (liver, gills, kidney and spleen) histopathology in gobies (Pomatoschistus spp.) together with metal bioaccumulation and sediment contamination levels were studied during 2011–2013 for estuarine environmental risk assessment in the Ibaizabal estuary (SE Bay of Biscay). Results indicate that sediments were moderately-strongly impacted by metals and organic compounds, suggesting that adverse biological effects could be likely. Similar metal bioaccumulation levels and multi-organ histopathological indices were detected in gobies collected along the estuary, indicating a similar affection degree. Accordingly, both metal bioaccumulation levels and histopathological indices decreased in gobies collected in 2013 reflecting a lower impact on fish health status. Liver, gills and kidney presented higher histopathological damage than spleen. Fat vacuolation of hepatocytes, lamellar fusion and melanomacrophage centers were the most prevalent hepatic, branchial and renal alterations, respectively. These histopathological changes may indicate exposure to non-specific toxicants. Nevertheless, the influence of other environmental variables should not be excluded as causative factors. No severe pathological traits were registered in gonads, suggesting undisturbed reproductive status. In conclusion, the use of multi-organ histopathology in gobies in combination with metal bioaccumulation and sediment contamination levels, contribute to a better understanding of sub-lethal effects and a more accurate environmental risk assessment in the Ibaizabal estuary.
AB - Multi-organ (liver, gills, kidney and spleen) histopathology in gobies (Pomatoschistus spp.) together with metal bioaccumulation and sediment contamination levels were studied during 2011–2013 for estuarine environmental risk assessment in the Ibaizabal estuary (SE Bay of Biscay). Results indicate that sediments were moderately-strongly impacted by metals and organic compounds, suggesting that adverse biological effects could be likely. Similar metal bioaccumulation levels and multi-organ histopathological indices were detected in gobies collected along the estuary, indicating a similar affection degree. Accordingly, both metal bioaccumulation levels and histopathological indices decreased in gobies collected in 2013 reflecting a lower impact on fish health status. Liver, gills and kidney presented higher histopathological damage than spleen. Fat vacuolation of hepatocytes, lamellar fusion and melanomacrophage centers were the most prevalent hepatic, branchial and renal alterations, respectively. These histopathological changes may indicate exposure to non-specific toxicants. Nevertheless, the influence of other environmental variables should not be excluded as causative factors. No severe pathological traits were registered in gonads, suggesting undisturbed reproductive status. In conclusion, the use of multi-organ histopathology in gobies in combination with metal bioaccumulation and sediment contamination levels, contribute to a better understanding of sub-lethal effects and a more accurate environmental risk assessment in the Ibaizabal estuary.
KW - Bioaccumulation
KW - Biomonitoring
KW - Histopathological alterations
KW - Pomatoschistus spp.
KW - Sediment contamination
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84966526052&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecss.2015.11.023
DO - 10.1016/j.ecss.2015.11.023
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84966526052
SN - 0272-7714
VL - 179
SP - 145
EP - 154
JO - Estuarine Coastal And Shelf Science
JF - Estuarine Coastal And Shelf Science
ER -