Ecotoxicology of hexavalent chromium in fish: An updated review

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 890; p. 164395
• Main Authors: Kamila, Sreejata, Shaw, Pallab, Islam, Shehnaz, Chattopadhyay, Ansuman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 10.09.2023
• Subjects: antioxidants; Apoptosis; bioaccumulation; chromium; ecotoxicology; environment; fabrics; fish; fish health; Genotoxicity; homeostasis; leather; Nrf2- Keap1 pathway; occupational exposure; Organo-toxicity; Oxidative stress; permeability; species; stress response; Oxidative stress; Nrf2- Keap1 pathway; Organo-toxicity; Genotoxicity; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164395

Chromium (Cr) is prevalently found in trivalent and hexavalent forms. Though the former is toxicologically benign due to its poor cellular permeability, hexavalent chromium i.e. Cr [VI] crosses the biological membrane and induces toxic effects in organisms. While Cr [VI] toxicity in humans is a subject of occupational exposure at industries involved in ferrochrome production, leather tanning, textile dyeing etc., aquatic abundance of Cr [VI] due to discharge of Cr-laden effluents by these industries lead to extensive toxicity in piscine species. The present review aims to discuss the mode of Cr [VI] entry in fish and the several inimical effects that it imparts on fish health. Such effects have been reported in various studies through behavioral, hormonal and hematological alterations. Bio-accumulation of Cr [VI] in vital organs and subsequent perturbation of the oxidative homeostasis leads to organotoxic effects like changes in organo-somatic indices and histo-architecture. At cellular level, Cr [VI] induced genotoxicity is often found to trigger cellular demise including apoptosis. This review also highlights the stress response in fish against Cr [VI] induced toxicity that is mediated through the expressional alteration of a myriad of anti-oxidant and xenobiotic-metabolizing proteins which is, in turn, a function of activated transcription programs including the Nrf2-ARE pathway. [Display omitted] •Cr [VI] causes alteration in behavior, hematology and endocrine system in fish.•It causes organo-toxicity in liver, brain, kidney, gill and also genotoxicity.•Cr [VI] causes DNA damage by Cr-DNA adduct formation or by oxidative DNA damage.•Cr [VI] alters antioxidant, XME, inflammatory and apoptotic gene expression.•It can activate Nrf2-Keap1-ARE pathway after chronic exposure.