Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Biological Effects of Chemical Pollution in Feral Fish and Shellfish Populations from Ebro River: From Molecular to Individual Level Responses

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Ebro River Basin

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 13))

  • 909 Accesses

Abstract

A multilevel approach, from whole animal to molecular level, was applied to the study of the biological impact of chemical pollution in fish and shellfish populations from the rivers Vero, Cinca, and from the Flix reservoir in the Ebro River. The analysis provided a general picture of the health status of the rivers and quantified the physiological effects of different pollutants originating in existing chemical plants discharging in the area. The data show that fish acclimated to very high concentrations of some toxicants, like mercury, whereas organochlorinated compounds (OCs) and poly bromo diphenyl ethers apparently induce permanent negative effects, including oxidative stress, poor condition and fertility, DNA damage, and liver and kidney histological anomalies. Toxic determinants appeared different for vertebrates and invertebrates and suggest that a key difference between both animal groups may be the presence of activable aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which only occurs in deuterostomata (Chordates, Echynoderma and alikes). The adverse biological effects were recorded up to 30–35 km downstream the different sources, and their distribution differed for OCs and for Hg. Intensive local agricultural practices, rather than pollution from the Ebro’s chemical plants, seem to account for adverse biological effects observed in the Ebro Delta.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Raldua D, Padros F, Sole M, Eljarrat E, Barcelo D, Riva MC, Barata C (2008) First evidence of polybrominated diphenyl ether (flame retardants) effects in feral barbel from the Ebro River basin (NE, Spain). Chemosphere 73(1):56–64

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Eljarrat E, Martínez MA, Sanz P, Concejero MA, Piña B, Quirós L, Raldúa D, Barceló D (2008) Distribution and biological impact of dioxin-like compounds in risk zones along the Ebro River basin (Spain). Chemosphere 71(6):1156–1161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Raldua D, Diez S, Bayona JM, Barcelo D (2007) Mercury levels and liver pathology in feral fish living in the vicinity of a mercury cell chlor-alkali factory. Chemosphere 66:1217–1225

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Quirós L, Piña B, Solé M, Blasco J, López MA, Riva MC, Barceló D, Raldúa D (2007) Environmental monitoring by gene expression biomarkers in Barbus graellsii: laboratory and field studies. Chemosphere 67:1144–1154

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Grimalt J (1993) http://mediambient.gencat.cat/cat/ciutadans/informacio_ambiental/Flix/estudi.jsp?ComponentID=42291&SourcePageID=42851#1. Last accession, September 2009

  6. Terrado M, Kuster M, Raldua D, Lopez de Alda M, Barcelo D, Tauler R (2007) Use of chemometric and geostatistical methods to evaluate pesticide pollution in the irrigation and drainage channels of the Ebro river delta during the rice-growing season. Anal Bioanal Chem 387(4):1479–1488

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Mañosa S, Mateo R, Guitart R (2001) A review of the effects of agricultural and industrial contamination on the Ebro delta biota and wildlife. Environ Monit Assess 71:187–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Navarro A, Quiros L, Casado M, Faria M, Carrasco L, Benejam L, Benito J, Diez S, Raldua D, Barata C, Bayona JM, Pina B (2009) Physiological responses to mercury in feral carp populations inhabiting the low Ebro River (NE Spain), a historically contaminated site. Aquat Toxicol 93:150–157

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Carrasco L, Diez S, Soto DX, Catalan J, Bayona JM (2008) Assessment of mercury and methylmercury pollution with zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) in the Ebro River (NE Spain) impacted by industrial hazardous dumps. Sci Total Environ 407(1):178–184

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Lavado R, Urena R, Martin-Skilton R, Torreblanca A, Del Ramo J, Raldúa D, Porte C (2006) The combined use of chemical and biochemical markers to assess water quality along the Ebro River. Environ Pollut 139:330–339

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. van der Oost R, Beyer J, Vermeulen N (2003) Fish bioaccumulation and biomarkers in environmental risk assessment: a review. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 13:57–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Bervoets L, Van Campenhout K, Reynders H, Knapen D, Covaci A, Blust R (2009) Bioaccumulation of micropollutants and biomarker responses in caged carp (Cyprinus carpio). Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 72(3):720–728

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Damasio J, Tauler R, Teixido E, Rieradevall M, Prat N, Riva MC, Soares AMVM, Barata C (2008) Combined use of Daphnia magna in situ bioassays, biomarkers and biological indices to diagnose and identify environmental pressures on invertebrate communities in two Mediterranean urbanized and industrialized rivers (NE Spain). Aquat Toxicol 87(4):310–320

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. al-Sabti K, Metcalfe CD (1995) Fish micronuclei for assessing genotoxicity in water. Mutat Res 343(2–3):121–135

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Quiros L, Ruiz X, Sanpera C, Jover L, Pina B (2008) Analysis of micronucleated erythrocytes in heron nestlings from reference and impacted sites in the Ebro basin (N.E. Spain). Environ Pollut 155:81–87

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Olive PL (1988) DNA precipitation assay: a rapid and simple method for detecting DNA damage in mammalian cells. Environ Mol Mutagen 11(4):487–495

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Huang YL, Cheng SL, Lin TH (1996) Lipid peroxidation in rats administrated with mercuric chloride. Biol Trace Elem Res 52(2):193–206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Bainy ACD, Saito E, Carvalho PSM, Junqueira VBC (1996) Oxidative stress in gill, erythrocytes, liver and kidney of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from a polluted site. Aquat Toxicol 34:151–162

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Amiard JC, Amiard-Triquet C, Barka S, Pellerin J, Rainbow PS (2006) Metallothioneins in aquatic invertebrates: their role in metal detoxification and their use as biomarkers. Aquat Toxicol 76(2):160–202

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Auslander M, Yudkovski Y, Chalifa-Caspi V, Herut B, Ophir R, Reinhardt R, Neumann PM, Tom M (2008) Pollution-affected fish hepatic transcriptome and its expression patterns on exposure to cadmium. Mar Biotechnol (NY) 10(3):250–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Lecoeur S, Videmann B, Berny P (2004) Evaluation of metallothionein as a biomarker of single and combined Cd/Cu exposure in Dreissena polymorpha. Environ Res 94(2):184–191

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Schlenk D, Zhang YS, Nix J (1995) Expression of hepatic metallothionein messenger RNA in feral and caged fish species correlates with muscle mercury levels. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 31(3):282–286

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Ortiz-Delgado J, Behrens A, Segner H, Sarasquete C (2008) Tissue-specific induction of EROD activity and CYP1A protein in Sparus aurata exposed to B(a)P and TCDD. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 69:80–88

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Douglas KT (1987) Mechanism of action of glutathione-dependent enzymes. Adv Enzymol Relat Areas Mol Biol 59:103–167

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Taysse L, Chambras C, Marionnet D, Bosgiraud C, Deschaux P (1998) Basal level and induction of cytochrome P450, EROD, UDPGT, and GST activities in carp (Cyprinus carpio) immune organs (spleen and head kidney). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 60:300–305

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Escartin E, Porte C (1997) The use of cholinesterase and carboxylesterase activities from Mytilus galloprovincialis in pollution monitoring. Environ Toxicol Chem 16(10):2090–2095

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Piña B, Casado M, Quirós L (2007) Analysis of gene expression as a new tool in ecotoxicology and environmental monitoring. Trends Analyt Chem 26(11):1145–1154

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Tom M, Auslander M (2005) Transcript and protein environmental biomarkers in fish – a review. Chemosphere 59:155–162

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Rotchell JM, Ostrander GK (2003) Molecular markers of endocrine disruption in aquatic organisms. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev 6(5):453–496

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. George S, Gubbins M, MacIntosh A, Reynolds W, Sabine V, Scott A, Thain J (2004) A comparison of pollutant biomarker responses with transcriptional responses in European flounders (Platichthys flesus) subjected to estuarine pollution. Mar Environ Res 58:571–575

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. McClain JS, Oris JT, Burton GA Jr, Lattier D (2003) Laboratory and field validation of multiple molecular biomarkers of contaminant exposure in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Environ Toxicol Chem 22:361–370

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Quiros L, Raldua D, Navarro A, Casado M, Barcelo D, Pina B (2007) A noninvasive test of exposition to toxicants: quantitative analysis of cytochrome P4501A expression in fish scales. Environ Toxicol Chem 26(10):2179–2186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Lattier D, Gordon D, Burks D, Toth G (2001) Vitellogenin gene transcription: a relative quantitative exposure indicator of environmental estrogens. Environ Toxicol Chem 20:1979–1985

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Garcia-Reyero N, Raldúa D, Quirós L, Llaveria G, Cerda J, Barceló D, Grimalt JO, Piña B (2004) Use of vitellogenin mRNA as a biomarker for endocrine disruption in feral and cultured fish. Anal Bioanal Chem 378:670–675

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Porte C, Janer G, Lorusso LC, Ortiz-Zarragoitia M, Cajaraville MP, Fossi MC, Canesi L (2006) Endocrine disruptors in marine organisms: approaches and perspectives. Comp Biochem Physiol C 143:303–315

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Lavado R, Thibaut R, Raldua D, Martin R, Porte C (2004) First evidence of endocrine disruption in feral carp from the Ebro River. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 196(2):247–257

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Raldúa D, Pedrocchi C (1996) Mercury concentrations in three species of freshwater fishes from the lower Gallego and Cinca Rivers, Spain. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 57:597–602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Benejam L, Benito E, García-Berthou E (2010) Decreases in condition and fecundity of freshwater fishes in a highly polluted reservoir. Water Air Soil Pollut 210(4):231–242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Faria M, Carrasco L, Diez S, Riva MC, Bayona JM, Barata C (2009) Multi-biomarker responses in the freshwater mussel Dreissena polymorpha exposed to polychlorobiphenyls and metals. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 149(3):281–288

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Bosch C, Olivares A, Faria M, Navas JM, del Olmo I, Grimalt JO, Pina B, Barata C (2009) Identification of water soluble and particle bound compounds causing sublethal toxic effects. A field study on sediments affected by a chlor-alkali industry. Aquat Toxicol 94(1):16–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Hahn ME, Karchner SI, Shapiro MA, Perera SA (1997) Molecular evolution of two vertebrate aryl hydrocarbon (dioxin) receptors (AHR1 and AHR2) and the PAS family. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:13743–13748

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Nebert DW, Puga A, Vasiliou V (1993) Role of the Ah receptor and the dioxin-inducible [Ah] gene battery in toxicity, cancer, and signal transduction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 685:624–640

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Barata C, Alanon P, Gutierrez-Alonso S, Riva MC, Fernandez C, Tarazona JV (2008) A Daphnia magna feeding bioassay as a cost effective and ecological relevant sublethal toxicity test for environmental risk assessment of toxic effluents. Sci Total Environ 405(1–3):78–86

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Damasio J, Navarro A, Tauler R, Lacorte S, Barceló D, Soares A, López MA, Riva MC, Barata C (2010) Identifying major pesticides affecting bivalve species exposed to agricultural pollution using multi-biomarker and multivariate methods. Ecotoxicology DOI:10.1007/s10646-010-0490-3

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work has been partially supported by the European Union and reflects only the author’s views, and the European Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained in it (AQUATERRA, GOCE-CT-2004-505428). Additional support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation AQUATOXIGEN (CGL2008-01898), ECOTOXIMED (CGL2004-03514), the Spanish Ministry of Environment (MOVITROF, ZEBRAPOP, MMARyM 042/RN08/03.4), and the Catalan Water Authority (ACA, MOVITROF) is also acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Environmental Diagnostics and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Benjamin Piña, Demetrio Raldúa, Carlos Barata, Melissa Faria, Anna Navarro, Joana Damasio, Alba Olivares, Laia Quirós, Sergi Pelayo & Marta Casado

Authors
  1. Benjamin Piña
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Demetrio Raldúa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Carlos Barata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Melissa Faria
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Anna Navarro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Joana Damasio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Alba Olivares
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Laia Quirós
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Sergi Pelayo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Marta Casado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Benjamin Piña .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona, 08034, Spain

    Damià Barceló

  2. , Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona, 08034, Spain

    Mira Petrovic

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Piña, B. et al. (2010). Biological Effects of Chemical Pollution in Feral Fish and Shellfish Populations from Ebro River: From Molecular to Individual Level Responses. In: Barceló, D., Petrovic, M. (eds) The Ebro River Basin. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry(), vol 13. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2010_78

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation