Abstract
The single and combined effects of methylmercury and Arochlor 1260 were investigated in experimental quail treated chronically with the two compounds at low and high doses. A series of metabolic and biochemical biomarkers were evaluated together with mercury and PCB accumulation to pinpoint the effects of treatment with one or both chemicals. Methylmercury alone was associated with a decrease in serum cholesterol. Less PCBs were accumulated in tissues when Arochlor 1260 was combined with methylmercury than when the former was administered alone. Liver monooxygenase (MFO) activity was depressed 50% more in the presence of methylmercury than with Arochlor 1260 alone. Single or combined treatment with high doses of the two compounds resulted in similar degrees of DNA damage. This approach was found to provide a good picture of the interaction between environmental contaminants.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aguilar, A. (1985) Compartmentation and reliability of sampling procedures in organochlorine pollution surveys of cetaceans. Res. Rev. 95, 91–114.
Aguilar, A. and Raga, J.A. (1993) The striped dolphin epizootic in the Mediterranean sea. Ambio 22, 524–8.
Ando, S., Toyoda, Y., Nagai, Y. and Ikuta, F. (1985) Abnormalities in gangliosides and other lipids of monkey, rabbit and human brains with chronic organic mercury intoxication. Jpn J. Exp. Med. 55, 1–6.
Brouwer, A., Reijnders, P.J.H. and Koeman, J.H. (1989) Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated fish induces vitamin A and thyroid hormone deficiency in the common seal (Phoca vitulina). Aquatic Toxicol. 15, 99–106.
Cesarone, D.F., Bolognesi, C. and Santi, L. (1979) Improved microfluorimetric DNA determination in biological material using 33258 Hoechst. Anal. Biochem. 100, 188–97.
Dutta, H.M. and Haghighi, A.Z. (1986) Methylmercury chloride and serum cholesterol level in the bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 36, 181–5.
Elliot, J.E., Kennedy, S.W., Peakall, D.B. and Won, H. (1990) Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) effects on hepatic mixed function oxidases and porphyria in birds: I. Japanese Quail. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 96C, 205–10.
Focardi, S., Leonzio, C. and Fossi, C. (1988) Variations in polychlorinated biphenyl congener composition in eggs of Mediterranean water birds in relation to their position in the food chain. Environ. Pollut. 52, 243–55.
Fossi, M.C. and Leonzio, C. (1994) Non Destructive Biomarkers in Vertebrates. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Inc.
Fossi, C., Focardi, S., Leonzio, C. and Renzoni, A. (1989) The Black Headed Gull's adaptation to polluted environment: the role of mixed function oxidase detoxication system. Environ. Conservat. 15, 221–4.
Franchi, E., Loprieno, G., Ballardin, M., Petrozi, L. and Migliore, L. (1994) Cytogenetic monitoring of fishermen with environmental mercury exposure. Mutation Res. 320, 23–9.
Itano, K., Kawai, S., Miyakaki, R., Tatsukawa, R. and Fujiyama, T. (1984) Mercury and selenium levels in striped dolphins caught off the Pacific coast of Japan. Agricult. Biol. Chem. 48, 1109–16.
Jensen, S. and Jernelöv, A. (1969) Biological methylation of mercury in aquatic organisms. Nature, 223, 753–4.
Kägi, J.H.R. and Kojima, Y. (1987) Metallothionein II. Basel: Birkhäuser-Verlag.
Kanter, P. and Schwartz, H.S. (1982) A fluorescence enhancement assay for cellular DNA damage. Mol. Pharmacol. 22, 145–51.
Kirubagaran, R. and Joy, K.P. (1992) Toxic effects of mercury on testicular activity in the freshwater teleost, Clarias batrachus (L.). J. Fish. Biol. 41, 305–15.
Leonzio, C., Fossi, C. and Focardi, S. (1992a) Heavy metals and selenium in stranded dolphins of the Northern Tyrrhenian (NW Mediterranean). Sci. Total Environ. 119, 377–84.
Leonzio, C., Fossi, M.C., Lari, L. and Focardi, S. (1992b) Influence of cadmium on polychlorobiphenyls uptake, MFO activity, and serum lipid levels in Japanese quail. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 22, 238–341.
Leonzio, C., Fossi, M.C. and Casini, S. (In press) Porphyrins as biomarkers of methylmercury and PCB exposure in experimental quail. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.
Lubet, R.A., Nims, R.W., Mayer, R.T., Cameron, J.W. and Schechtman, L.M. (1985) Measurement of cytochrome P450 dependent dealkylation of alkoxyphenoxazones in hepatic S9S and hepatocite homogenates: effects of dicumarol. Mutation Res. 142, 127–31.
Muir, D.C.G., Wagemann, R., Grift, N.P., Norstrom, R.J., Simon, M. and Lien, J. (1988) Organochlorine chemical and heavy metal contamination in White-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) and Pilot whales (Globicephala melaena) from the Coast of New-foundland, Canada. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 17, 613–29.
Muirhead, S.J. and Furness, R.W. (1988) Heavy metal concentrations in the tissues of seabirds from Gough Island, south Atlantic Ocean. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 19, 278–83.
Murphy, P. (1972) Sulphuric acid cleanup of animal tissues for analysis of acid-stable chlorinated hydrocarbon residues. JAOAC 55, 1360–2.
Murphy, T.J., Formanski, L.J., Brownawell, B. and Meyer, J.A. (1985) Polychlorinated biphenyl emissions to the atmosphere in the Great Lakes region. Municipal landfills and incinerators. Environ. Sci. Technol. 19, 942–6.
OECD (1994) Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals. Paris: OECD.
Peakall, D.B. (1992) Animal Biomarkers as Pollution Indicators. London: Chapman & Hall.
Peakall, D.B. and Shugart, L.R. (1993) Biomarkers. Research and Application in the Assessment of Environmental Health. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.
Rattner, B.A., Hoffman, D.J. and Marn, C.M. (1989) Use of mixed-function oxidases to monitor contaminant exposure in wildlife. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 8, 1093–102.
Renzoni, A., Focardi, S., Leonzio, C. and Majol, J. (1986) Comparison between concentrations of mercury and other contaminants in eggs and tissues of Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea collected on Atlantic and Mediterranean islands. Environ. Pollut. 40, 17–37.
Ronis, M.J. and Walker, C.H. (1989) The monooxygenases of birds. Rev. Biochem. Toxicol. 301–84.
Ryan, D.M., Sin, Y.M. and Moochhala, S.M. (1993) Effects of mercury on cytochrome P450 levels in mouse hepatic microsomes. J. Environ. Sci. Health A 28(6), 1409–19.
Rydberg, B. (1975) The rate of strand separation in alkali of DNA of irradiated mammalian cells. Radiat. Res. 61, 274–87.
Shugart, L.R. (1988) Quantitation of chemically induced damage to DNA of aquatic organisms by alkaline unwinding assay. Aquatic Toxicol. 13, 43–52.
Sood, P.P. and Vinay, S.D. (1991) Therapeutic abilities of thiol compounds in the restoration of methylmercury-inhibited cholesterol and triglycerides of the rat's central nervous system. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 21, 212–17.
Stocppler, M. and Backaus, F. (1978) Pretreatment studies with biological and environmental materials I. Systems for pressurised multi-sample decomposition. Fresenius Z. Anal. Chem. 291, 116–20.
Tanabe, S., Watanabe, S., Kan, H. and Tatsukawa, R. (1988) Capacity and mode of PCB metabolism in small cetaceans. Mar. Mammal. Sci. 4(2), 103–24.
Torreblanca, A., Del Ramo, J. and Diaz-Mayans, J. (1992) Changes in biochemical composition of gills, hepatopancreas and muscle of the red crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard) after sublethal exposure. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 102C(2), 247–52.
Walker, C.H. and Ronis, M.J.J. (1981) The monooxygenases of birds, reptiles and amphibians. Xenobiotica 19, 1111–21.
WHO/ICPS (1990) Methylmercury Geneva: WHO/UNEP.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Leonzio, C., Monaci, F., Fossi, M.C. et al. Multiresponse biomarker evaluation of interactions between methylmercury and Arochlor 1260 in quail. Ecotoxicology 5, 365–376 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351952
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351952