Abstract
Nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) is widely used as a component of detergents, paints, pesticides, and many other products. In the aquatic environment NPE breakdown to 4-nonylphenol (NP), which is more stable and persistent. NP is estrogenic in fish, avian, and mammals and is described as an environmental pollutant with endocrine disruptor characteristics. The genotoxicity of NP was evaluated through micronuclei assay and single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet assay) in peripheral erythrocytes of Oreochromis niloticus exposed in vivo. The study on reproductive development was also carried out in male and female gonads of O. niloticus. Lethal concentration (LC 50%) of 0.032 ml l−1 was previously determined. We ran assays with O. niloticus exposed to concentrations of 1.0, 10.0, and 16.0 μl l−1 of NP diluted in water. Our results showed that NP was not genotoxic. However, 3-day exposure to NP in concentrations of 1.0, 10.0, and 16.0 μl l−1 of water increased the frequency of reproductive stages in males and females. The histology of the reproductive tract of the treated fish was significantly altered in females treated with 16.0 μl l−1 of water when compared to controls. Analogous estrogenic effects were observed, such as accelerated maturation of oocytes and spermatogenesis. These results showed that the O. niloticus reproductive system is sensitive to NP estrogenicity.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al-Sabti K, Metcalfe CD (1995) Fish micronuclei for assessing genotoxicity in water. Mutat Res 343:121–135
Bisson M, Hontela A (2002) Cytotoxic and endocrine-disrupting potential of atrazine, diazinon, endosulfan, and mancozeb in adrenocortical steroidogenic cells of rainbow trout exposed in vitro. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 180:110–117
Bombail V, Gordon E, Batty J (2001) Application of the comet and micronucleus assays to butterfish (Pholis gunnellus) erythrocytes from the Firth of Forth, Scotland. Chemosphere 44:383–392
Bukki R, Vermeirssen ELM, Koermer O, Joris C, Burkhardt-Holm P, Segner H (2006) Assessment of estrogenic exposure in brown trout (Salmo trutta) in a Swiss midland river: integrated analysis of passive samplers, wild and caged fish and vitellogenin mRNA and protein. Environ Toxicol Chem 25:2077–2086
Çavas T, Ergene-Gozukara S (2003) Micronuclei, nuclear lesions and interphase silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) as cyto-genotoxicity indicators in Oreochromis niloticus exposed to textile mill effluent. Mutat Res 538:81–91
Clark LB, Rosen RT, Hartman TG, Louis JB, Suffet IH, Lippincott RL (1992) Determination of alkylphenol ethoxylates and their acetic acids derivatives in drinking water by particle beam liquid chromatograph/electroscopy. Int J Environ Anal Chem 47:167–180
Degen GII, Metzler M (1987) Sex hormones and neoplasia: genotoxic effects in short term assays. Arch Toxicol Suppl 10:264–278
Grier HJ (1981) Cellular organization of the testis and spermatogenesis in fishers. Am Zool 21:521–542
Grisolia CK, Bilich MR, Formigli LM (2004) A comparative toxicologic and genotoxic study of the herbicide arsenal, its active ingredient imazapyr, and the surfactant nonylphenol ethoxylate. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 59:123–126
Grisolia CK, Cordeiro CMT (2000) Variability in micronucleus induction with different mutagens applied to several species of fish. Genet Mol Biol 23:235–239
Grisolia CK, Oliveira ABB, Bonfim H, Klautau-Guimarães MN (2005) Genotoxicity evaluation of domestic sewage in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Genet Mol Biol 28:334–338
Hamilton MA, Russo RC, Thurston RV (1977) Trimmed Spearman–Karber method for estimating median lethal concentrations in toxicity bioassays. Environ Sci Technol 11:714–719
Hooftman NR, Raat WK (1982) Induction of nuclear abnormalities (micronuclei) in the peripheral blood erythrocytes of the eastern mudminnow Umbra pygmaea by ethyl methanesulphonate. Mutat Res 104:147–152
Jager C, Bornman MS, Wandrag S, Sharp VW (2001) Lethal dose & reproductive parameters of p-nonilfenol in rats. Arch Androl 46:183–187
Jaloszynski P, Kujawski M, Wasowicz M, Szulc R, Szyfter K (1999) Genotoxicity of inhalation anesthetics halothane and isoflurane in human lymphocytes studied in vitro using the comet assay. Mutat Res 439:199–206
Joosten HFP, van Acker FAA, van den Dobbelsteen DJ, Horbach GJMJ, Krajnc EI (2004) Genotoxicity of hormonal steroids. Toxicol Lett 151:113–134
Kim HS, Shin J-H, Kang IH, Kim TS, Kim IY, Seok J-H, Pyo M-Y, Han SY (2002) Comparative estrogenic effects of nonylphenol by 3-day uterotrophic assay and female pubertal onset assay. Reprod Toxicol 16:259–268
Li D, Kim M, Oh J-R, Park J (2004) Distribution characteristics of nonylphenols in the artificial Lake Shihwa, and surrounding creeks in Korea. Chemosphere 56:783–790
Nagao T, Wada K, Marumo H, Yoshimura S, Ono H (2001) Reproductive effects of nonilfenol in rats after gavage administration: a two-generation study. Reprod Toxicol 15:293–315
Nielsen L, Baattrup E (2006) Quantitative studies on the effects of environmental estrogens on the testis of the guppy, Poecilia reticulata. Aquat Toxicol 80:140–148
Oliveria-Filho EC, Geraldino BR, Grisolia CK, Paumgartten FJR (2005) Acute toxicity of endosulfan, nonylphenol ethoxylate, and ethanol to different life stages of the freshwater snail Biomphalaria tenagophila (orbigny, 1835). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 75:1185–1190
Sakai A (2001) p-Nonilfenol acts as a promoter in the BALB/3T3 cell transformation. Mutat Res 493:161–166
Singh NP, McCoy MT, Tice RR, Schneider EL (1988) A simple technique for quantification of low levels of DNA damage in individual cells. Exp Cell Res 175:184–191
Sone K, Hinago M, Kitayama A, Morokuma J, Ueno N, Watanabe H, Iguchi T (2004) Effects of 17 B-estradiol, nonylphenol, and bisphenol-A on developing Xenopus laevis embryos. Gen Comp Endocrinol 138:228–236
Souza TS, Fontanelli CS (2006) Micronucleus test and observation of nuclear alterations in erythrocytes of Nile tilapia exposed to waters affected by refinery effluents. Mutat Res 605:87–93
Thorpe KL, Cummings RI, Hutchinson TH, Scholze M, Brighty G, Sumpter JP, Tyler CR (2003) Relative potencies and combination effects of steroidal estrogens in fish. Environ Sci Technol l37:1142–1149
Tsuda T, Takino A, Kojima M, Harada K, Muraki T, Tsuji M (2000) 4-Nonylphenols and 4-terc-octylphenol in water and fish from rivers flowing into lake Biwa. Chemosphere 41:757–762
Uguz C, Iscan M, Erguven A, Isgor B, Togan I (2003) The bioaccumulation of nonilfenol and its adverse effect on the liver of rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss). Environ Res l92:262–270
USEPA (1985) Acute toxicity test for freshwater fish. 540/9-95-006
Wallace RA, Selman K (1981) Cellular and dynamic aspects of oocyte growth in teleosts. Am Zool 21:325–343
Wester WP, van Der Ven LTM, Vos GJ (2004) Comparative toxicological pathology in mammals and fish: some examples with endocrine disrupters. Toxicol 205:27–32
Acknowledgments
Research supported by PRONEX/CNPq 193.000.121/2004-31, University of Brasília and FINATEC. Carla L. G. Rivero received a fellowship from CAPES (Brazilian Ministry of Education). The authors thank the Brasilia Municipal Drinking Water and Sewage Corporation (CAESB) for providing field facilities.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rivero, C.L.G., Barbosa, A.C., Ferreira, M.F.N. et al. Evaluation of genotoxicity and effects on reproduction of nonylphenol in Oreochromis niloticus (Pisces: cichlidae). Ecotoxicology 17, 732–737 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-008-0222-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-008-0222-0