TY - JOUR

T1 - Branchial versus intestinal silver toxicity and uptake in the marine teleost Parophrys vetulus

AU - Grosell, Martin Hautopp

AU - Wood, C. M.

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - Exposure to elevated waterborne silver as AgNO3 (4.07 µM=448 µg l-1) in seawater resulted in osmoregulatory disturbance in the lemon sole (Parophrys vetulus). The main effects were increased plasma Na+ and Cl- concentrations which translated into increased plasma osmolality. Plasma Mg2+ levels were also slightly increased after 96 h exposure. Using radio-isotopic flux measurements, a 50% reduction in branchial unidirectional Na+ extrusion was observed after 48 h silver exposure. By applying an intestinal perfusion approach, we were able to separate and thus quantify the intestinal contribution to the observed silver-induced physiological disturbance and internal silver accumulation. This analysis revealed that the intestinal contribution to silver-induced ionoregulatory toxicity was as high as 50-60%. In marked contrast, internal silver accumulation (in liver and kidney) was found to be derived exclusively from uptake across the gills. Drinking of silver-contaminated seawater resulted in substantial silver accumulation in the intestinal tissue (but apparently not silver uptake across the intestine), which probably explains the intestinal contribution to silver-induced physiological disturbance.

AB - Exposure to elevated waterborne silver as AgNO3 (4.07 µM=448 µg l-1) in seawater resulted in osmoregulatory disturbance in the lemon sole (Parophrys vetulus). The main effects were increased plasma Na+ and Cl- concentrations which translated into increased plasma osmolality. Plasma Mg2+ levels were also slightly increased after 96 h exposure. Using radio-isotopic flux measurements, a 50% reduction in branchial unidirectional Na+ extrusion was observed after 48 h silver exposure. By applying an intestinal perfusion approach, we were able to separate and thus quantify the intestinal contribution to the observed silver-induced physiological disturbance and internal silver accumulation. This analysis revealed that the intestinal contribution to silver-induced ionoregulatory toxicity was as high as 50-60%. In marked contrast, internal silver accumulation (in liver and kidney) was found to be derived exclusively from uptake across the gills. Drinking of silver-contaminated seawater resulted in substantial silver accumulation in the intestinal tissue (but apparently not silver uptake across the intestine), which probably explains the intestinal contribution to silver-induced physiological disturbance.

U2 - 10.1007/s003600100209

DO - 10.1007/s003600100209

M3 - Journal article

VL - 171

SP - 585

EP - 594

JO - Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology

JF - Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology

SN - 0174-1578

IS - 7

ER -