Abstract
The present study was conducted to analyse microcystin concentrations in Lakshmikund pond, Varanasi, India, as well as in carp and catfish of the pond. The concentrations of microcystin were found well above the WHO guidelines (1 µg/L) both for the dissolved and particulate fractions of bloom samples. The microcystin concentrations in different organs of carp and catfish were in the following sequence; liver > gut > kidney > gall bladder > gills > muscles and gut > liver > kidney > gall bladder > gills > muscles, respectively. The bioaccumulation of microcystin in carp and catfish was negatively correlated with body weight, and showed species specificity. The higher bioaccumulation of microcystin in muscles of catfish (>tenfold) over carp indicates a possible threat to human beings on consumption of catfish. Therefore, to avoid animal and human intoxication, routine analyses of microcystin in pond water as well as fishes are strongly recommended.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
APHA, Awwa, WEF (1995) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation, Washington, DC
Babica P, Kohoutek J, Bláha L, Adamovský O, Maršálek B (2006) Evaluation of extraction approaches linked with ELISA and HPLC for analyses of microcystin-LR, -RR and -YR in freshwater sediments with different organic material content. Anal Bioanal Chem 385(8):1545–1551
Cazenave J, Wunderlin DA, de Los Bistoni MA, Amé MV, Krause E, Pflugmacher S, Wiegand C (2005) Uptake, tissue distribution and accumulation of microcystin-RR in Corydoras paleatus, Jenynsia multidentata and Odontesthes bonariensis. A field and laboratory study. Aquat Toxicol 75:178–190
Chen J, Zhang D, Xie P, Wang Q, Ma Z (2009) Simultaneous determination of microcystin contaminations in various vertebrates (fish, turtle, duck and water bird) from a large eutrophic Chinese lake, Lake Taihu, with toxic Microcystis blooms. Sci Total Environ 407:3317–3322
Grosse Y, Baan R, Straif K, Secretan B, El Ghissassi F, Cogliano V (2006) Carcinogenicity of nitrate, nitrite, and cyanobacterial peptide toxins. Lancet Oncol 7:628–629
Jöchimsen EM, Carmichael WW, An J, Cardo DM, Cookson ST, Holmes CEM, Antunes MBC, de Melo Filho DA, Lyra TM, Barreto VST, Azevado SMFO, Jarvis WR (1998) Liver failure and death after exposure to microcystins at a hemodialysis center in Brazil. N Engl J Med 338:873–878
Kagalou I, Papadimitriou T, Bacopoulos V, Leonardos I (2008) Assessment of microcystins in lake water and the omnivorous fish (Carassius gibelio, Bloch) in Lake Pamvotis (Greece) containing dense cyanobacterial bloom. Environ Monit Assess 137:185–195
Keshavanath P, Beveridge MCM, Baird DJ, Lawton LA, Nimmo A, Codd GA (1994) The functional grazing response of a phytoplanktivorous fish Oreochromis niloticus to mixtures of toxic and non-toxic strains of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa. J Fish Biol 45:123–129
Klaassen CD, Watkins JB (1984) Mechanisms of bile formation, hepatic uptake, and biliary excretion. Pharmacol Rev 36:1–67
Lürling M, Faassen EJ (2013) Dog poisonings associated with a Microcystis aeruginosa bloom in the Netherlands. Toxins 5:556–567
Magalhães VF, Soares RM, Azevedo SMFO (2001) Microcystin contamination in fish from Jacarepaguá Lagoon (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): ecological implication and human health risk. Toxicon 39:1077–1085
Malbrouck C, Kestemont P (2006) Effects of microcystins on fish. Environ Toxicol Chem 25:72–86
Myers J, Kratz WA (1955) Relation between pigment content and photosynthetic characteristics in blue-green algae. J Gen Physiol 39:11–22
Papadimitriou T, Kagalou I, Stalikas C, Pilidis G, Leonardos ID (2012) Assessment of microcystins distribution and biomagnification in tissues of the aquatic food web compartments from a shallow lake and potential risks for public health. Ecotoxicology 21:1155–1166
Papadimitriou T, Katsiapi M, Kormas KA, Moustaka-Gouni MIK (2013) Artificially-born “killer” lake: phytoplankton based water quality and microcystin affected fish in reconstructed lake. Sci Total Environ 453:116–124
Prakash S, Lawton LA, Edwards C (2009) Stability of toxigenic Microcystis blooms. Harmful Algae 8:377–384
Resgalla C Jr, Brasil ES, Salomão LC (2006) Physiological rates in different classes of sizes of Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) submitted to experimental laboratory conditions. Braz J Biol 66:325–336
Sivonen K, Jones GJ (1999) Cyanobacterial toxins. In: Chorus I, Bartram J (eds) Toxic cyanobacteria in water: a guide to their public health consequences, monitoring and management. World Health Organization, Taylor and Francis, pp 41–111
Streit B (1998) Bioaccumulation of contaminants in fish. In: Braunbeck T, Hinton DE, Streit B (eds) Fish Ecotoxicology. Birkhauser, Basel, pp 353–388
Svrcek C, Smith D (2004) Cyanobacteria toxins and the current state of knowledge on water treatment options: a review. J Environ Eng Sci 3:155–185
Trinchet I, Cadel-Six S, Djediat C, Marie B, Bernard C, Puiseux-Dao S, Krys S, Edery M (2013) Toxicity of harmful cyanobacterial blooms to bream and roach. Toxicon 71:121–127
Vardaka E, Moustaka-Gouni M, Cook CM, Lanaras T (2005) Cyanobacterial blooms and water quality in Greek waterbodies. J Appl Phycol 17:391–401
Vasconcelos VM (1999) Cyanobacterial toxins in Portugal: effects on aquatic animals and risk for human health. Braz J Med Biol Res 32:249–254
WHO (1998) Guidelines for drinking-water quality: addendum to vol. 2: health criteria and other supporting information, 2nd edn. WHO, Geneva
WHO (2003) Guidelines for safe recreational waters environments: coastal and fresh waters, vol 1. WHO, Geneva
Xie L, Xie P, Guo L, Li L, Miyabara Y, Park HD (2005) Organ distribution and bioaccumulation of microcystins in freshwater fish at different trophic levels from the eutrophic Lake Chaohu, China. Environ Toxicol 20:293–300
Zhang D, Deng X, Xie P, Chen J, Guo L (2013) Risk assessment of microcystins in silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) from eight eutrophic lakes in China. Food Chem 140:17–21
Zimba PV, Khoo L, Gaunt P, Carmichael WW, Brittain S (2001) Confirmation of catfish mortality from Microcystis toxins. J Fish Diseases 24:41–47
Acknowledgments
The present study acknowledges the receipt of fellowship from Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, as INSPIRE-programme to Shweta Singh (IF 10178, Date: 8th October, 2010). RKA is thankful to UGC (University Grants Commission), New Delhi, Project Code No. P-01/623 for financial support. We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Dr. Alok Kumar Ravi, Department of Ocular Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Dr. R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, for providing facility of LC–MS for microcystin detection.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, S., Asthana, R.K. Assessment of Microcystin Concentration in Carp and Catfish: A Case Study from Lakshmikund Pond, Varanasi, India. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 92, 687–692 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1277-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1277-7