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Evaluation of the toxic effect on zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to uranium mill tailings leaching solution

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential ecological danger and toxic effect of uranium mill tailings leaching solution (UMTLS) on aquatic animals. UMTLS was identified to contain two radioactive elements, nine heavy metal elements, and five non-metallic materials. The acute toxicity test indicated that the 1, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 h LC50 values of UMTLS to the zebrafish were 12.1, 7.1, 4.4, 3.8, 3.4, and 2.9%, respectively. In sub-lethal toxicity tests, superoxide dismutase, catalase, Na+–K+–ATPase activities, and malondialdehyde content were respectively determined and analyzed in the zebrafish gill, gonad, muscle, and liver after exposed to four different concentration levels of UMTLS for 7 and 14 days, respectively. The result showed that the most sensitivity of the antioxidant system in zebrafish tissues in UMTLS was gill, and then decreased in gonad, muscle and liver respectively. Na+–K+–ATPase activity in the liver and gonad may be considered as a reference biomarker of UMTLS stress. The data in this study may be valuable that the toxicity of such as the leaching solution of potentially hazardous material was compared with that of each constituent.

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Abbreviations

UMTLS:

Uranium mill tailings leaching solution

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

CAT:

Catalase

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid

LC50 :

Lethal concentration 50

LT50 :

Lethal time 50

U:

Uranium

Mo:

Molybdenum

UV:

Ultraviolet

F:

Fluorine

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

Ni:

Nickel

Cd:

Cadmium

Pi:

Phosphorus

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Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No. 50774047), Scientific Research Foundation of Education Department (grant No. 10A103 and grant No. 10C1134) and Science and Technology Department (grant No. 2010GK2025) of Hunan Province.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Discipline Laboratory for National Defense for Biotechnology in Uranium Mining and Hydrometallurgy, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People’s Republic of China

    Fang Geng, Nan Hu, Ji-Fang Zheng, Cheng-Lei Wang, Xin Chen, Jia Yu & De-Xin Ding

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  1. Fang Geng
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  2. Nan Hu
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  3. Ji-Fang Zheng
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  4. Cheng-Lei Wang
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  5. Xin Chen
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  6. Jia Yu
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  7. De-Xin Ding
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Correspondence to Ji-Fang Zheng or De-Xin Ding.

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Fang Geng and Nan Hu are contributed equally to this work.

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Geng, F., Hu, N., Zheng, JF. et al. Evaluation of the toxic effect on zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to uranium mill tailings leaching solution. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 292, 453–463 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-011-1451-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-011-1451-x

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