Metal uptake in zebrafish embryo-larvae exposed to metal-contaminated sediments

• Published in: Marine environmental research Vol. 58; no. 2; pp. 829 - 832
• Main Authors: Li, Wing-Han, Chan, Patrick C.Y., Chan, King M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Coastal sediment; Danio rerio; Embryo, Nonmammalian - metabolism; Embryo-larvae; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental Pollutants - pharmacokinetics; Environmental Pollutants - toxicity; Enzyme Induction - drug effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Heavy metals; Hong Kong; Larva - metabolism; Marine; Metallothionein - biosynthesis; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - pharmacokinetics; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Reproduction - drug effects; Reproduction - physiology; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sea water ecosystems; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Synecology; Zebrafish - metabolism; Zebrafish - physiology; Hong Kong; ISEW, China, People's Rep., Hong Kong; ISEW, China, People's Rep., Hong Kong, New Terr., Tolo Harbour; China, People's Rep., Hong Kong; China, People's Rep., Hong Kong, New Terr., Sha Lo Tung, Tai Po; Embryo-larvae; Coastal sediment; Bioaccumulation; Heavy metals; Ecotoxicology; Sediments; Uptake; Heavy metal; Marine environment; Vertebrata; Larva; Pisces; Developmental stage; Cyprinidae; Biological accumulation
• ISSN: 0141-1136; 1879-0291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2004.03.100

Heavy metal contamination in coastal and estuarine regions of inner Tolo Harbour, as well as some river and nullah areas, is one of the major water-pollution issues in Hong Kong. Zebrafish ( Danio rerio) embryo-larvae was used to study metal uptake from coastal sediments collected from Fo Tan River (industrial area, Sha Tin), Tai Po River (residential area, Tai Po) and Wu Kai Sa (rural area, Tolo Harbour). Exposure experiments (7-days) were carried out using different concentrations (0.1%, 0.5%, 1% and 0% as control) of sediments that were added to aquaria containing fertilized zebrafish eggs until they hatched to become larvae. Uptake of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) was determined in whole embryo-larvae following exposure. Significant levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were detected in the embryo-larvae exposed to sediments from Tai Po River. However, significant levels of only Cd and Cu were found in embryo-larvae exposed to sediments from Fo Tan River.