Cadmium effects on some energy metabolism variables in Cnesterodon decemmaculatus adults

CASTAÑÉ, PATRICIA M.; BAUDOU, FEDERICO G.; MASTRÁNGELO, MARTINA M.; OSSANA, NATALIA A.; BAUDOU, FEDERICO G.; FERRARI, LUCRECIA; MASTRÁNGELO, MARTINA M.; CASTAÑÉ, PATRICIA M.; OSSANA, NATALIA A.; FERRARI, LUCRECIA

ECOTOXICOLOGY

SPRINGER

Año: 2017 vol. 26 p. 1250 - 1258

0963-9292

This work is focused on the responses of someenergy metabolism variables in Cnesterodon decemmaculatus adults exposed to cadmium under controlled laboratory conditions. This species has been used as bioindicatorfor evaluating the effects of different chemicals on diversebiological processes and is frequently used as test organismin ecotoxicity studies that include cadmium as referencetoxicant. Animals were exposed for 12 days to the following concentrations: 0, 0.45, and 0.8 mg Cd/L. Food intake,fecal production, specific assimilation, condition factor,mortality percentage, oxygen consumption, oxygen extraction efficiency, specific metabolic rate, ammonia excretion,and ammonia quotient were measured. The overall balancewas expressed as scope for growth (SFG). Cadmiumexposed groups showed a significant decrease in foodassimilation and condition factor at the end of the exposure.There was an increase in specific metabolic rate and adecrease in SFG in the group exposed to 0.8 mg Cd/L. Thecondition factor and the SFG appeared as sensitive biomarkers of health status and growth of the animals,respectively. Cadmium-exposed fish reduced food intake,which was reflected in a decreased assimilation withconcomitant decline in the external energy supply fromfeeding. Our results highlight the importance of consideringthe metabolic status of the test organisms when analyzingthe responses of the biomarkers usually used as effectparameters in ecotoxicological evaluations under experimental conditions.