Title: Effects of sublethal waterborne cadmium on gills in three teleosteans species: scanning electron microscope study

Authors: Lucrecia Ferrari, Bettina Lorena Eissa, Natalia Alejandra Ossana, Alfredo Salibian

Addresses: Applied Ecophysiology Program, Basic Sciences Department (PRODEA-INEDES), National University of Lujan, P.O. Box 221 (B6700ZBA)-Lujan, Argentina. ' Applied Ecophysiology Program, Basic Sciences Department (PRODEA-INEDES), National University of Lujan, P.O. Box 221 (B6700ZBA)-Lujan, Argentina. ' Applied Ecophysiology Program, Basic Sciences Department (PRODEA-INEDES), National University of Lujan, P.O. Box 221 (B6700ZBA)-Lujan, Argentina. ' Applied Ecophysiology Program, Basic Sciences Department (PRODEA-INEDES), National University of Lujan, P.O. Box 221 (B6700ZBA)-Lujan, Argentina

Abstract: The effects of acute exposure for 96 h to a sublethal concentration of cadmium (300 µg L⁻¹) on the surface gill morphology of the teleosteans Cyprinus carpio, Australoheros facetum and Astyanax fasciatus were studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The main cadmium-induced gill damages in the three species were: structural alterations, oedema and fusion of adjacent secondary lamellae; there was a remarkable disruption of the gill epithelium in Australoheros facetum and excretion of large amount of mucus on the lamellae in Astyanax fasciatus. The reversibility of the alterations after a depuration period was also investigated; in all cases the fishes exhibited a considerable recovery of the gill structure after 96 h in a cadmium-free medium.

Keywords: cadmium; fish gills; scanning electron microscopy; freshwater teleosteans; Cyprinus carpio; Australoheros facetum; Astyanax fasciatus; freshwater ecotoxicology; water pollution; surface gill morphology; gill damage.

DOI: 10.1504/IJENVH.2009.030111

International Journal of Environment and Health, 2009 Vol.3 No.4, pp.410 - 426

Published online: 10 Dec 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article