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Physiological and Biochemical Effects of Lithium in Rainbow Trout

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Abstract

The physiological responses of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to lithium (as LiCl) in moderately hard freshwater (CaCO3 = 120–140 ppm, Na+ = ∼0.6 mM) were studied. The study employed a 15-day step-up exposure regime; 66 μg/L Li for the first 9 days and 528 μg/L for the next 6 days. The concentrations of plasma ions, apolipoprotein AI, total cholesterol, and fatty acids, as well as metabolic enzyme citrate synthase (CS) and Na+,K+-ATPase activities in the gill were measured. Li affected fish by exacerbated diffusive Na+ losses at the gills in the beginning of exposure and a decrease of branchial CS activity. Detrimental effects were shown in fish exposed to 528 μg Li/L. These included a reduction of gill Na+,K+-ATPase activity, possibly related to observed lower concentrations of free fatty acids and cholesterol in gill tissue.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was provided by NSERC Discovery grants to CMW and GBM. CMW is supported by the Canada Research Chair Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 111, FIN-80101, Joensuu, Finland

    Victoria Tkatcheva & Ismo J. Holopainen

  2. Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Natasha M. Franklin, Grant B. McClelland, Richard W. Smith & Chris M. Wood

Authors
  1. Victoria Tkatcheva
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  2. Natasha M. Franklin
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  3. Grant B. McClelland
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  4. Richard W. Smith
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  5. Ismo J. Holopainen
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  6. Chris M. Wood
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Correspondence to Victoria Tkatcheva.

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Tkatcheva, V., Franklin, N.M., McClelland, G.B. et al. Physiological and Biochemical Effects of Lithium in Rainbow Trout. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 53, 632–638 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-006-0173-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-006-0173-5

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