Potential for biomonitoring metals and metalloids using fish condition and tissue analysis in an agricultural and coal mining region

Abstract

Agricultural and mining activities contribute to metal inputs in freshwater ecosystems around the world, which can in turn bioaccumulate in biota such as fish. Monitoring of metals loads in biota thus provides insight into the concentrations of bioavailable metals within the environment. Little research has been conducted on the potential of Australian freshwater fish for biomonitoring metals. Within the Fitzroy Basin of Central Queensland, a major agricultural and coal mining region, three commonly-encountered fish taxa were analysed for tissue metal loads. Arsenic concentrations in Nematalosa erebi and Melanotaenia splendida splendida tissue were elevated (above Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) guidelines), with highest concentrations in N. erebi liver tissue (up to 5.14 μg/g). Lead concentrations were above the FSANZ guidelines in all three fish taxa analysed, with highest concentrations in Hypseleotrid full-body tissue (up to 5.99 μg/g). Selenium in M. s. splendida and N. erebi tissue was positively correlated with total selenium in water (p < 0.05; r = 0.68 and 0.87 respectively). Environmental boron, selenium and nickel concentrations were positively correlated with N. erebi liver tissue metals. N. erebi hepatosomatic index was negatively correlated with dissolved arsenic, manganese, and total phosphorus (in water). The results highlight that M. s. splendida and N. erebi yield bioindicators which are responsive to environmental metals, and thus have potential for use in biomonitoring metals. The two species are also widespread along the east coast of Australia, there is thus a strong potential for applying the results to other regions within Australia.

Differential nickel-induced responses of olfactory sensory neuron populations in zebrafish

“…Therefore, an efficient monitoring should identify quickly environmental modifications that require a rapid reaction. Fish have been recognized as particularly suited organisms for environmental biomonitoring due to some of their characteristics, including biodiversity, health conditions and population structure (Chua et al, 2018). Fish have also become a system of choice for in vivo and in vitro toxicity tests (Cardwell et al, 1976;Kollár et al, 2018).…”

Which Organism is More Suitable As A Toxic Metal Accumulation Bioindicator – Fishes Or Diatoms: A Case Study Of An A Class Wetland In Northwest Türkiye Under Effect Of An Intensive Paddy Cultivation Stress?

“…Efficient bioindicators are required to evaluate the contamination status of freshwater ecosystems subjected to toxic metals. Many researches have considered the suitability of algae and fishes as bioindicators of toxic metal contamination (Caçador et al 2012, Chakraborty et al 2014, Billah et al 2017, Plessl et al 2017, Chua et al 2018. It is known that suitable and effective toxic metal bioindicators may accumulate quite high levels of toxicants without death (Zhou et al 2008).…”

“…Bioaccumulation levels of toxicants in organisms, especially in the first steps of the aquatic food chain may be an earlywarning of the hazards of the toxicants for the other organisms located at the higher levels of the food chain by means of many trophic interactions (Farias et al 2018). Numbers of previous researches show that some aquatic organisms living at different stages of the food chain, such as algae, invertebrates and fishes may be used as effective and suitable bioindicators of toxic metal contamination (Caçador et al 2012, Chakraborty et al 2014, Chiarelli and Roccheri 2014, Billah et al 2017, Chua et al 2018.…”

Comparison of the Application of High-Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) and Collision/Reaction Cell Technology of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-CCT-MS) in the Determination of Selenium in Coal-Bearing Strata

“…However, excessive intake of Se can lead to selenosis [13][14][15][16]. Additionally, selenium is environmentally sensitive, and excessive selenium may contaminate water bodies and inhibit plant growth [17][18][19]. During coal combustion, Se can be released into the atmosphere, posing risks to the environment and human beings [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33].…”