Exposure of brown trout ( Salmo trutta L.) to tunnel wash water runoff — Chemical characterisation and biological impact

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 408; no. 13; pp. 2646 - 2656
• Main Authors: Meland, Sondre, Heier, Lene Sørlie, Salbu, Brit, Tollefsen, Knut Erik, Farmen, Eivind, Rosseland, Bjørn Olav
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.06.2010; [Amsterdam; New York]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Contaminants; Defence; Detergents - analysis; Detergents - metabolism; Detergents - toxicity; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring; Fish; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Gills - drug effects; Gills - metabolism; Glucose; Highway runoff; Hydrocarbons; In situ exposure; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Metals - analysis; Metals - metabolism; Metals - toxicity; PAH; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - metabolism; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - toxicity; Principal response curve; Runoff; Salmo trutta; Techniques; Trace metals; Trout; Trout - metabolism; Tunnel wash; Tunnels (transportation); Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; In situ exposure; Highway runoff; Principal response curve; PAH; Trace metals; Tunnel wash; Biomarkers; In situ; Biological marker; Metal; Mutagen; Persistent organic pollutant; Freshwater environment; Aquatic environment; Pisces; Organic compounds; Salmonidae; Hydrocarbon; Highway; Runoff water; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Carcinogen; Trace element; Vertebrata; Salmo trutta; Runoff
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2010.03.025

Washing and cleaning of road tunnels are a routinely performed maintenance task, which generate significant amount of polluted wash-water runoff that normally is discharged to the nearest recipient. The present study was designed to quantify chemical contaminants (trace metals, hydrocarbons, PAH and detergents) in such wash water and assess the short term impact on brown trout ( Salmo trutta L.) based on in situ experiments. Selected endpoints were accumulation of trace metals in gills, haematological variables and hepatic mRNA transcription of five biomarkers reflecting defence against free radicals, trace metals, planar aromatic hydrocarbons and endocrine disruptions which were measured prior (− 3 h), during (1 and 3 h) and after the tunnel wash (14, 38 and 86 h). Our findings showed that the runoff water was highly polluted, but most of the contaminants were associated with particles which are normally considered biologically inert. In addition, high concentrations of calcium and dissolved organic carbon were identified in the wash water, thus reducing metal toxicity. However, compared to the control fish, a rapid accumulation of trace metals in gills was observed. This was immediately followed by a modest change in blood ions and glucose in exposed fish shortly after the exposure start. However, after 38–86 h post wash, gill metal concentrations, plasma ions and glucose levels recovered back to control levels. In contrast, the mRNA transcription of the CYP1A and the oxidative stress related biomarkers TRX and GCS did not increase until 14 h after the exposure start and this increase was still apparent when the experiment was terminated 86 h after the beginning of the tunnel wash. The triggering of the defence systems seemed to have successfully restored homeostasis of the physiological variables measured, but the fish still used energy for detoxification four days after the episode, measured as increased biomarker synthesis.