Consumption estimates of walleye stocked as fry to suppress fathead minnow populations in west-central Minnesota wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ward, M.C.; Willis, D.W.; Herwig, B.R.; Chipps, S.R.; Parsons, B.G.; Reed, J.R.; Hanson, M.A.

2008-01-01

Fisheries managers throughout the Prairie Pothole Region of Minnesota often use semi-permanent and permanent wetland basins to extensively culture walleye Sander vitreus fry. Waterfowl managers have expressed concern over this practice because of the potential influence that fish have on food resources used by waterfowl during development and migration. It is well known that native fathead minnows Pimephales promelas can have detrimental effects on macroinvertebrates, zooplankton, water clarity, epiphyton, and macrophytes in wetlands. Because walleye commonly become piscivorous as soon as mouth gape allows, walleye fry may suppress fathead minnow populations and improve wetland conditions for waterfowl. In this study, we quantify consumption estimates, specifically predation on fathead minnows, by age-0 and age-1 walleye reared in natural wetland basins. Six wetlands were stocked in mid-May 2001 and 2002 at a rate of 12,000 walleye fry ha-1. Age-0 walleye were sampled bi-weekly from mid-June through mid-September 2001. Age-0 and age-1 walleye were sampled monthly from mid-May through mid-September 2002. A generalised diet shift from zooplankton to fish to macroinvertebrates was observed in 2001, whereas diets of juvenile walleye contained primarily macroinvertebrates in 2002. Stocked walleye quickly reduced fathead minnow populations in 2001 and suppression was maintained throughout 2002. Although walleye consumed primarily macroinvertebrates once prey fish populations became suppressed, consumption estimates of invertebrates by walleye were substantially less than those documented for fathead minnow populations. Thus, stocking age-0 walleye was an effective biomanipulation tool that substantially reduced fathead minnow densities and influenced lower trophic levels in these aquatic communities. ?? 2007 Blackwell Munksgaard.

Gene prediction in the fathead minnow [Pimephales promelas] genome

EPA Science Inventory

The fathead minnow is a well-established model organism which has been widely used for regulatory ecotoxicity testing and research for over half century. While much information has been gathered on the organism over the years, the fathead minnow genome, a critical source of infor...

Computational Modeling of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis to Predict Adaptive Responses in Female Fathead Minnows Exposed to an Aromatase Inhibitor

EPA Science Inventory

Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals can affect reproduction and development in both humans and wildlife. We are developing a mechanistic computational model of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in female fathead minnows to predict dose response and time-course...

17A-ETHYNYLESTRADIOL-INDUCED VITELLOGENIN GENE TRANSCRIPTION QUANTIFIED IN LIVERS OF ADULT MALES, LARVAE, AND GILLS OF FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

We have applied a method for quantifying relative levels of messenger RNA (mRNA) transcription to assess chemically-induced gene expression in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Synthetic oligonucleotides designed for the fathead minnow vitellogenin gene transcription (Vg) p...

I. Effects of a Dopamine Receptor Antagonist on Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas ,Reproduction

EPA Science Inventory

This study used a 21 d fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproduction assay to test the hypothesis that exposure to the dopamine 2 receptor (D2R) antagonist, haloperidol, would impair fish reproduction. Additionally, a 96 h experiment with fathead minnows and zebrafish (Danio ...

Proteomic Expression Patterns in Fathead Minnows Exposed to Trenbolone and Flutamide

EPA Science Inventory

Insights into androgen signaling in the liver of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) was obtained using non-gel based proteomics analysis. We exposed female fathead minnows for 48 hr through the water to a prototypical androgen (17b-trenbolone, 5 ?g/L), a prototypical anti-andr...

Larval fathead minnow swim bladder inflation following exposure to 2-mercaptobenzothiazole

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In this study, a hypothesized adverse outcome pathway (AOP) linking inhibition of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) activity to impaired swim bladder inflation was investigated in experiments in which fathead minnows were exposed to the TPO inhibitor 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT). Results show that anterior, but not posterior, swim bladder inflation was impacted by exposure to MBT supporting the development of an AOP linking a specific thyroid-disrupting molecular initiating event to a significant phenotypic outcome. Results also suggest an alternative short-term in vivo test with larval fathead minnows that could be used to screen chemicals for thyroid disrupting activity and possibly distinguish thyroid disrupting modes of action. The dataset contains information on TPO expression, thyroid hormone concentrations, and swim bladder inflation measurements in larval fathead minnows.This dataset is associated with the following publication:Nelson, K., A. Schroeder , G. Ankley , B. Blackwell, C. Blanksma, S. Degitz , K. Jensen , R. Johnson , M. Kahl , D. Knapen, P. Kosian , R. Milsk, E. Randolph, T. Saari, E. Stinckens, L. Vergauwen, and D. Villeneuve. Impaired anterior swim bladder inflation following exposure to the thyroid peroxidase inhibitor 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole Part I: Fathead minnow. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 173: 192-203, (2016).

Male Fathead Minnow Urine-Based Metabolomics for Assessing Impacts of Chemical Stressors

EPA Science Inventory

We have developed the potential for profiling metabolites in urine from male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to assess chemical exposures, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Both one dimensional (1D) and two dimensional (2D) NMR spectroscopy was us...

DEVELOPMENT OF A FATHEAD MINNOW MODEL FOR EVALUATING EXPOSURE OF FISH TO GENOTOXIC SUBSTANCES

EPA Science Inventory

The fathead minnow (FHM) is widely used as a standard test species for acute and chronic toxicity testing of contaminants, effluents, and receiving waters. Because of its widespread distribution throughout North America, this species also has application in monitoring studies and...

Alternative methods for toxicity assessments in fish: comparison of the fish embryo toxicity and the larval growth and survival tests in zebrafish and fathead minnows.

PubMed

Jeffries, Marlo K Sellin; Stultz, Amy E; Smith, Austin W; Rawlings, Jane M; Belanger, Scott E; Oris, James T

2014-11-01

An increased demand for chemical toxicity evaluations has resulted in the need for alternative testing strategies that address animal welfare concerns. The fish embryo toxicity (FET) test developed for zebrafish (Danio rerio) is one such alternative, and the application of the FET test to other species such as the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) has been proposed. In the present study, the performances of the FET test and the larval growth and survival (LGS; a standard toxicity testing method) test in zebrafish and fathead minnows were evaluated. This required that testing methods for the fathead minnow FET and zebrafish LGS tests be harmonized with existing test methods and that the performance of these testing strategies be evaluated by comparing the median lethal concentrations of 2 reference toxicants, 3,4-dicholoraniline and ammonia, obtained via each of the test types. The results showed that procedures for the zebrafish FET test can be adapted and applied to the fathead minnow. Differences in test sensitivity were observed for 3,4-dicholoraniline but not ammonia; therefore, conclusions regarding which test types offer the least or most sensitivity could not be made. Overall, these results show that the fathead minnow FET test has potential as an alternative toxicity testing strategy and that further analysis with other toxicants is warranted in an effort to better characterize the sensitivity and feasibility of this testing strategy. © 2014 SETAC.

Comparison of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Expression Patterns in Fathead Minnows Exposed to Trenbolone and Flutamide

EPA Science Inventory

Androgen signaling in the liver of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) was examined both at the transcriptome level and the proteome level. We exposed female fathead minnows for 48 hr to a prototypical androgen (17b-trenbolone, 5 ug/L), to an antiandrogen (flutamide, 50...

Progress Towards the Development of a Fathead Minnow Embryo Test and Comparison to the Zebrafish Embryo Test for Assessing Acute Fish Toxicity

EPA Science Inventory

The Zebrafish Embryo Test (ZFET) for acute fish toxicity is a well developed method nearing adoption as an OECD Test Guideline. Early drafts of the test guideline (TG) envisioned a suite of potential test species to be covered including zebrafish, fathead minnow, Japanese Medaka...

Sex-specific gene expression in early life stage fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) throughout development and after exposure to synthetic hormones

EPA Science Inventory

There is evidence that exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during early life stages can alter sex differentiation in fishes. Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) are commonly used as a model fish species in endocrine disruption studies. However, limited knowledge...

Computational Modeling to Evaluate Alternative Hypotheses for the Linkage of Aromatase Inhibition to Vitellogenin Levels in Fathead Minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Aromatase converts testosterone to estradiol (E2). In fish, E2 concentrations control hepatic synthesis of the glycolipoprotein vitellogenin (VTG), an egg yolk precursor protein essential to oocyte development and larval survival. Fathead minnows were exposed to the aromatase in...

Sequencing and De novo Draft Assemblies of the Fathead Minnow (Pimphales promelas)Reference Genome

EPA Science Inventory

This study was undertaken to develop genome-scale resources for the fathead minnow (Pimphales promelas) an important model organism widely used in both aquatic ecotoxicology research and in regulatory toxicity testing. We report on the first sequencing and two draft assemblies fo...

Fathead Minnow Steroidogenesis: In Silico Analyses Reveals Tradeoffs Between Nominal Target Efficacy and Robustness to Cross-talk

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents the formulation and evaluation of a mechanistic mathematical model of fathead minnow ovarian steroidogenesis. The model presented in the present study was adpated from other models developed as part of an integrated, multi-disciplinary computational toxicolog...

CHARACTERIZATION OF RESPONSES TO THE ANTIANDROGEN FLUTAMIDE IN A SHORT-TERM REPRODUCTION ASSAY WITH THE FATHEAD MINNOW

EPA Science Inventory

A short-term reproduction assay with the fathead minnow has been developed to detect chemicals with the potential to disrupt reproductive endocrine functions controlled by estrogen- and androgen-mediated pathways. The objective of this study was to characterize the responses of t...

Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryo to adult exposure to decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5).

PubMed

Parrott, J L; Alaee, M; Wang, D; Sverko, E

2013-10-01

The cyclic siloxane decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a high production volume chemical which has recently been assessed under the Canadian Chemicals Management Plan (CMP). Cyclic volatile methyl siloxanes (cVMS) are one of the challenge substances in the CMP batches. To provide toxicity and growth information on a species of relevance to the Canadian environment, we assessed D5 in a fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryo to young adult assay. The test was 65d in length, and exposed fathead minnow eggs to juveniles until near maturity (60d post-hatch). The D5 concentrations in flow-through fish exposure aquaria were about one-third of nominal D5 concentrations. Fathead minnows were exposed to 0.25, 0.82, 1.7, 3.6, and 8.7μgL(-1) D5. During the exposure of fathead minnows to D5 there were few effects seen. Egg hatching and larval fish survival and growth were normal. Juvenile fish survival and growth were good in all environmentally-relevant concentrations of D5, and were similar to control fish. The two highest D5 concentrations (8.7μgL(-1) and 3.6μgL(-1), mean measured D5) increased the condition factors of fathead minnows compared to water control and DMSO control fish. Although there were few effects of D5 in our fathead minnow study, the compound was taken up and stored in fish bodies over the 65-d exposure. The bioconcentration factor for D5 in fathead minnows was 4450, for the lowest environmentally-relevant D5 exposure water concentrations, and 4920 for all D5 exposure concentrations tested. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing contaminant sensitivity of endangered and threatened aquatic species: Part III. Effluent toxicity tests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dwyer, F.J.; Hardesty, D.K.; Henke, C.E.; Ingersoll, C.G.; Whites, D.W.; Augspurger, T.; Canfield, T.J.; Mount, D.R.; Mayer, F.L.

2005-01-01

Toxicity tests using standard effluent test procedures described by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were conducted with Ceriodaphnia dubia, fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), and seven threatened and endangered (listed) fish species from four families: (1) Acipenseridae: shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum); (2) Catostomidae; razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus); (3) Cyprinidae: bonytail chub (Gila elegans), Cape Fear shiner (Notropis mekistocholas) Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), and spotfin chub (Cyprinella monacha); and (4) Poecillidae: Gila topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis). We conducted 7-day survival and growth studies with embryo-larval fathead minnows and analogous exposures using the listed species. Survival and reproduction were also determined with C. dubia. Tests were conducted with carbaryl, ammonia-or a simulated effluent complex mixture of carbaryl, copper, 4-nonylphenol, pentachlorophenol and permethrin at equitoxic proportions. In addition, Cape Fear shiners and spotfin chub were tested using diazinon, copper, and chlorine. Toxicity tests were also conducted with field-collected effluents from domestic or industrial facilities. Bonytail chub and razorback suckers were tested with effluents collected in Arizona whereas effluent samples collected from North Carolina were tested with Cape Fear shiner, spotfin chub, and shortnose sturgeon. The fathead minnow 7-day effluent test was often a reliable estimator of toxic effects to the listed fishes. However, in 21 % of the tests, a listed species was more sensitive than fathead minnows. More sensitive species results varied by test so that usually no species was always more or less sensitive than fathead minnows. Only the Gila topminnow was consistently less sensitive than the fathead minnow. Listed fish species were protected 96% of the time when results for both fathead minnows and C. dubia were considered, thus reinforcing the value of standard whole-effluent toxicity tests using those two species. If the responses of specific listed species are important for management decisions, our study supports the value in developing culture and testing procedures for those species. ?? 2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

Development of a Computational Model for Female Fathead Minnows Exposed to 17a-ethynylestradiol and 17B-trenbolone

EPA Science Inventory

The fathead minnow (FHM) is a valuable small fish model for genomic research in ecotoxicology. Our recent studies have successfully used genomic and metabolomic analyses to evaluate responses to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in urine of the FHM, but these results indicate...

A Method for the Determination of Genetic Sex in the Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas, to Support Testing of Endocrine-active Chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

Fathead minnows are used as a model fish species for the characterization of the endocrine-disrupting potential of environmental contaminants. This research describes the development of a PCR method that can determine the genetic sex in this species. This method, when incorpora...

PREDICTION OF THE ACUTE TOXICITY OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS TO THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMALAS) USING A GROUP CONTRIBUTION METHOD

EPA Science Inventory

A group contribution method has been developed to correlate the acute toxicity (96 h LC50) to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) for 379 organic chemicals. Multilinear regression and computational neural networks (CNNs) were used for model building. The multilinear linear m...

Effects of spray-dried Pseudomonas fluorescens, strain CL145A (Zequanox®) on reproduction and early development of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waller, Diane L.; Luoma, James A.

2016-01-01

The biopesticide, Zequanox®, is registered for dreissenid mussel control in open water systems. Previous toxicity trials with nontarget organisms, including young-of-the year of several fish species and invertebrates, demonstrated selectivity of Zequanox for dreissenids. However, data are lacking on its safety to reproductive and early life stages of fish. The present study evaluated the effects of Zequanox on spawning and early life stages of the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas, at the maximum approved concentration (100 mg Zequanox active ingredient /L) and exposure duration (8 h) for open water application. The results showed no significant effect of Zequanox on survival, condition, or cumulative egg deposition (21 d) in adult fathead minnow. Eggs (<24-h old) exposed to Zequanox developed to the eyed-stage at a similar rate to that of unexposed eggs. Additionally, Zequanox did not have a significant effect on survival and growth (90 d) of newly hatched fry (<24-h old). The results indicate that Zequanox treatment will not affect survival, spawning, and early life development of fathead minnows when applied at the recommended treatment regime.

THE EFFECTS OF METHOXYCHLOR AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE ON REPRODUCTION IN A SHORT-TERM ASSAY USING THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

The effect of chemicals on reproduction of fishes is an area of great uncertainty. Because full life cycle testing of fish is cost prohibitive, we have developed a short-term assay to assess the effects of chemicals on reproduction of adult fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). ...

Bringing the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) into the ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) is a well-established ecotoxicological model organism that has been widely used for regulatory ecotoxicity testing and research for over a half century. Throughout this time, a lot of knowledge has been gained about the fathead minnow’s biological responses to various xenobiotics. However, despite its importance as a model organism, the fathead minnow still has few publicly available gene sequences. Recently, Burns et al. (2015; Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 35:212) described the sequencing and de-novo assembly of the fathead minnow genome. Two draft genome assemblies are now publicly available on the GenBank database. However, on their own the draft assemblies remain of limited use to researchers who are primarily interested in the functional units of the genome, i.e. the genes. In the present study, an annotation pipeline, consisting of gene prediction, evidence alignment, and data synthesis, was applied to the fathead minnow SOAPdenovo assembly. Ab initio gene prediction was performed using AUGUSTUS, which provided a starting point of 43,345 gene predictions. Fathead minnow Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) and zebrafish protein-coding sequences (CDSs) were then aligned to the assembly using the corresponding spliced alignment methods of the program Exonerate. Of the over 240,000 EST alignments, 73% were successfully aligned with 90% or greater sequence identity and query coverage. Similarly, 39% of nearly 45,000 zebrafish co

Bringing the fathead minnow into the genomic era | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The fathead minnow is a well-established ecotoxicological model organism that has been widely used for regulatory ecotoxicity testing and research for over a half century. While a large amount of molecular information has been gathered on the fathead minnow over the years, the lack of genomic sequence data has limited the utility of the fathead minnow for certain applications. To address this limitation, high-throughput Illumina sequencing technology was employed to sequence the fathead minnow genome. Approximately 100X coverage was achieved by sequencing several libraries of paired-end reads with differing genome insert sizes. Two draft genome assemblies were generated using the SOAPdenovo and String Graph Assembler (SGA) methods, respectively. When these were compared, the SOAPdenovo assembly had a higher scaffold N50 value of 60.4 kbp versus 15.4 kbp, and it also performed better in a Core Eukaryotic Genes Mapping Analysis (CEGMA), mapping 91% versus 67% of genes. As such, this assembly was selected for further development and annotation. The foundation for genome annotation was generated using AUGUSTUS, an ab initio method for gene prediction. A total of 43,345 potential coding sequences were predicted on the genome assembly. These predicted sequences were translated to peptides and queried in a BLAST search against all vertebrates, with 28,290 of these sequences corresponding to zebrafish peptides and 5,242 producing no significant alignments. Additional ty

First generation annotations for the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) genome

EPA Science Inventory

Ab initio gene prediction and evidence alignment were used to produce the first annotations for the fathead minnow SOAPdenovo genome assembly. Additionally, a genome browser hosted at genome.setac.org provides simplified access to the annotation data in context with fathead minno...

Acute and chronic toxicity of sodium sulfate to four freshwater organisms in water-only exposures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wang, Ning; Consbrock, Rebecca A.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Hardesty, Douglas K.; Brumbaugh, William G.; Hammer, Edward J.; Bauer, Candice R.; Mount, David R.

2016-01-01

The acute and chronic toxicity of sulfate (tested as sodium sulfate) was determined in diluted well water (hardness of 100 mg/L and pH 8.2) with a cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia; 2-d and 7-d exposures), a midge (Chironomus dilutus; 4-d and 41-d exposures), a unionid mussel (pink mucket, Lampsilis abrupta; 4-d and 28-d exposures), and a fish (fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas; 4-d and 34-d exposures). Among the 4 species, the cladoceran and mussel were acutely more sensitive to sulfate than the midge and fathead minnow, whereas the fathead minnow was chronically more sensitive than the other 3 species. Acute-to-chronic ratios ranged from 2.34 to 5.68 for the 3 invertebrates but were as high as 12.69 for the fish. The fathead minnow was highly sensitive to sulfate during the transitional period from embryo development to hatching in the diluted well water, and thus, additional short-term (7- to 14-d) sulfate toxicity tests were conducted starting with embryonic fathead minnow in test waters with different ionic compositions at a water hardness of 100 mg/L. Increasing chloride in test water from 10 mg Cl/L to 25 mg Cl/L did not influence sulfate toxicity to the fish, whereas increasing potassium in test water from 1mg K/L to 3mg K/L substantially reduced the toxicity of sulfate. The results indicate that both acute and chronic sulfate toxicity data, and the influence of potassium on sulfate toxicity to fish embryos, need to be considered when environmental guidance values for sulfate are developed or refined.

Hematology and condition factor of tui chub and fathead minnow parasitized by nematode from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, USA.

PubMed

Martins, Maurício L; Tavares-Dias, Marcos; Janik, Andrew J; Kent, Michael L; Jerônimo, Gabriela T

2017-11-21

This study evaluated the hematological profile and condition factor (Kn) of tui chub Siphateles bicolor and fathead minnow Pimephales promelas and their associations with larvae of Contracaecum sp. infection of the heart. A total of 30 tui chub and 17 fathead minnow were collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, USA, measured, and weighed and blood was drawn for hematological analysis. Nematode larvae parasitized tui chub with a prevalence of 50% and mean intensity of 1.40, while 11.8% of fathead minnow were parasitized at a mean intensity of 1.0. Non-parasitized tui chub were significantly larger than the parasitized fish, indicating that small fish could be easily predated by the definitive host, a piscivorous bird. Although the relatively large worm occupied a large portion of the atrium, the presence of the larvae did not affect tui chub Kn, possibly associated with low parasite intensity and a harmonic co-evolution. Only parasitized fathead minnow showed significant differences in red blood cell measurements (greater cell width and larger nuclei) compared to non-parasitized fish. Lymphocytes were the most common white blood cells found in tui chub, followed by neutrophils, monocytes, and periodic acid-Schiff positive granular leukocytes; in fathead minnow lymphocytes were followed by heterophils, monocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils. This study is the first report of Kn and description of blood cells and hematological parameters in these fish species.

Fathead minnow genome sequencing and assembly

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The dataset provides the URLs for accessing the genome sequence data and two draft assemblies as well as fathead minnow genotyping data associated with estimating the heterozygosity of the in-bred line.This dataset is associated with the following publication:Burns, F., L. Cogburn, G. Ankley , D. Villeneuve , E. Waits , Y. Chang, V. Llaca, S. Deschamps, R. Jackson, and R. Hoke. Sequencing and De novo Draft Assemblies of the Fathead Minnow (Pimphales promelas)Reference Genome. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pensacola, FL, USA, 35(1): 212-217, (2016).

ACUTE TOXICITY OF SELECTED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS TO FATHEAD MINNOWS

EPA Science Inventory

Static nonrenewal laboratory bioassays were conducted with 26 organic compounds commonly used by industry. The selected compounds represented the five following chemical classes: acids, alcohols, hydrocarbons, ketones and aldehydes, and phenols. Juvenile fathead minnows (Pimephal...

Transcription of Key Genes Regulating Gonadal Steroidogenesis in Control and Ketoconazole- or Vinclozolin-exposed Fathead Minnows

EPA Science Inventory

This paper provides the first report on the effects of two endocrine-active fungicides, ketoconazole and vinclozolin, on the expression of steroidogenesis-related genes in the testis of male fathead minnows.

Propiconazole inhibits steroidogenesis and reproduction in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

This study assessed effects of the conazole-fungicide propiconazole on endocrine function and reproductive success of the fathead minnow, using an experimental approach based on previously defined adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) for chemicals that inhibit steroidogenesis in fish...

Early life stage (ELS) toxicity of sucralose to fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas.

PubMed

Stoddard, K I; Huggett, D B

2014-10-01

Sucralose, an intense artificial sweetener, has been detected in wastewater and surface waters at concentrations ranging from ng/L to low µg/L. Although over a hundred studies have been conducted to evaluate the safety of sucralose for human consumption, few studies have focused on the chronic ecotoxicological effects of this compound in fish. As a remedy to this data gap, an early-life stage toxicity test was conducted to assess the effects of sucralose on hatching, survival, and growth of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Hatching, survival, and growth were unaffected by 98 mg/L of sucralose. The Lowest-Observed-Effect Concentration (LOEC) and the No-Observed-Effect Concentration (NOEC) for fathead minnows determined by this study are >98 and 98 mg/L, respectively. The results from this study suggest that the concentrations of sucralose detected in the environment are well below those required to cause adverse effects to developing aquatic organisms.

SPAWNING SUCCESS OF FATHEAD MINNOWS ON SELECTED ARTIFICIAL SUBSTRATES

EPA Science Inventory

Spawning success of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) on six different substrates was tested and evaluated. Egg adhesiveness was equally good on cement-asbestos tile and sand-coated stainless steel substrates, but was poor on unaltered stainless steel, shot-peened stainless s...

Enhancing the fathead minnow fish embryo toxicity test: Optimizing embryo production and assessing the utility of additional test endpoints.

PubMed

Roush, Kyle S; Krzykwa, Julie C; Malmquist, Jacob A; Stephens, Dane A; Sellin Jeffries, Marlo K

2018-05-30

The fathead minnow fish embryo toxicity (FET) test has been identified as a potential alternative to toxicity test methods that utilize older fish. However, several challenges have been identified with the fathead minnow FET test, including: 1) difficulties in obtaining appropriately-staged embryos for FET test initiation, 2) a paucity of data comparing fathead minnow FET test performance to the fathead minnow larval growth and survival (LGS) test and 3) a lack of sublethal endpoints that could be used to estimate chronic toxicity and/or predict adverse effects. These challenges were addressed through three study objectives. The first objective was to optimize embryo production by assessing the effect of breeding group composition (number of males and females) on egg production. Results showed that groups containing one male and four females produced the largest clutches, enhancing the likelihood of procuring sufficient numbers of embryos for FET test initiation. The second study objective was to compare the performance of the FET test to that of the fathead minnow LGS test using three reference toxicants. The FET and LGS tests were similar in their ability to predict the acute toxicity of sodium chloride and ethanol, but the FET test was found to be more sensitive than the LGS test for sodium dodecyl sulfate. The last objective of the study was to evaluate the utility and practicality of several sublethal metrics (i.e., growth, developmental abnormalities and growth- and stress-related gene expression) as FET test endpoints. Developmental abnormalities, including pericardial edema and hatch success, were found to offer the most promise as additional FET test endpoints, given their responsiveness, potential for predicting adverse effects, ease of assessment and low cost of measurement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of antiandrogen flutamide on steroidogenesis and gene expression in female fathead minnow ovary

EPA Science Inventory

Mechanisms underlying reproductive impacts of antiandrogens in fish are not well-characterized and effective biomarkers of antiandrogen exposure are lacking. This work sought to identify genes and pathways affected by antiandrogen exposure in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promel...

A Quantative Adverse Outcome Pathway Linking Aromatase Inhibition in Fathead Minnows with Population Dynamics

EPA Science Inventory

A Quantitative Adverse Outcome Pathway Linking Aromatase Inhibition in Fathead Minnows with Population DynamicsAn adverse outcome pathway (AOP) is a qualitative description linking a molecular initiating event (MIE) with measureable key events leading to an adverse outcome (AO). ...

A METABOLOMIC APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION IN FATHEAD MINNOW

EPA Science Inventory

Although widely used in the study of rodent toxicity responses to assess human risk, metabolomics is now finding utility in toxicity assessments in a wide variety of other organisms including environmentally relevant small fish species such as fathead minnow (FHM) and medaka. To...

COMPARISON OF ELISAS FOR DETECTING VITELLOGENIN IN THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

Measurement of vitellogenin (VTG) concentrations in the fathead minnow is currently being evaluated and considered for screening of endocrine active substances. One of the proposed methods, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on VTG from carp, was recently evaluate...

MICROSATELLITE DNA VARIATION IN TWO FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) STOCKS

EPA Science Inventory

Adverse effects on more than 2000 species of fish in the U.S. and Canada are estimated by sensitvity results of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) acute toxicity tests. Whether survival and susceptibility to toxicants are influenced by genetic variation is still under question...

A SHORT-TERM REPRODUCTION TEST WITH THE FATHEAD MINNOW PIMEPHALES PROMELAS: II. METHOD EVALUATION

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of these studies was to evaluate a short-term test that assesses alterations in reproduction and endocrine function in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) as a basis for identifying endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Methoxychlor and methyltestosterone were select...

EFFECTS OF METHYLTESTOSTERONE ON AROMATASE ACTIVITY IN ADULT FATHEAD MINNOW

EPA Science Inventory

The effect of methyltestosterone (MT) in a fathead minnow 21-d reproduction assay was previously determined in this laboratory. It was found that methyltestosterone at 0.2 and 2 mg/L produced both estreogenic and androgenic effects. Both concentrations of methyltestosterone produ...

EFFECTS OF METHYLTOSTERONE ON AROMATASE ACTIVITY IN ADULT FATHEAD MINNOW

EPA Science Inventory

The effect of methyltestosterone (MT) in a fathead minnow 21-d reproduction assay was previously determined in this laboratory. It was found that methyltestosterone at 0.2 and 2 mg/L produced both estrogenic and androgenic effects. Both concentrations of methyltestosterone produc...

Environmental hormones and their impacts on sex differentiation in fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Runoff from lands fertilized with animal manure from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) is a source of hormones to surface water. To test the hypothesis that juvenile fathead minnows exposed to sex steroids singly and in a “typical” CAFO mixture while undergoing sex...

Inference of a Transcriptional Network Involved in Chemical Inhibition of Estrogen Synthesis in Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

A variety of chemicals in the environment have the potential to inhibit aromatase, an enzyme critical to estrogen synthesis. We examined the responses of female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to a model aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole, using transcriptional network inferen...

Social Status Modulates Gene Expression and Metabolite Profiles in the Fathead Minnow Males

EPA Science Inventory

The fathead minnow (FHM) is a valuable small fish model for genomic research in ecotoxicology. Our recent studies have successfully used genomic and metabolomic analyses to evaluate responses to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in urine of the FHM, but these results indicate...

Gene prediction in the fathead minnow [Pimephales promelas] genome-presentation

EPA Science Inventory

The fathead minnow is a well-established ecotoxicological model organism, having been widely used for regulatory ecotoxicity testing and research for over a half century. While a large amount of molecular information has been gathered on the organism over the years, to date, the ...

VITELLOGENIN ELISA FOR FATHEAD MINNOWS (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) USING A COMPLETELY HOMOLOGOUS ASSAY SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

The indication of vitellogenin in fish has been used as a biomarker for estrogen-receptor mediated gene induction pathways resulting from exposure to environmental estrogens. Pimephales promelas (fathead minnows) have been selected as one of the test models to investigate reprodu...

Pathogenesis of spring viremia of carp virus in emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque, fathead minnow Pimephales promelas Rafinesque and white sucker Catostomus commersonii (Lacepede).

PubMed

Misk, E; Garver, K; Nagy, E; Isaac, S; Tubbs, L; Huber, P; Al-Hussinee, L; Lumsden, J S

2016-06-01

Spring viremia of carp (SVC) is a reportable disease to the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) as it is known to cause significant international economic impact. In Canada, the first and only isolation of SVC virus (SVCV) was in 2006, from common carp Cyprinus carpio L., at Hamilton Harbour, Lake Ontario. The susceptibility of fathead minnow Pimephales promelas Rafinesque, emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque and white sucker Catostomus commersonii (Lacepede) to intraperitoneal injection of the Canadian isolate (HHOcarp06) was evaluated using experimental infection, virus isolation, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Emerald shiner and fathead minnow were most susceptible with 43 and 53% cumulative mortality, respectively, compared with koi at 33%. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated that koi had high viral loads throughout the experiment. At 34 days post-infection, SVCV was detected from sampled emerald shiner and white sucker in very low titre and was not detected from fathead minnow. Koi, fathead minnow and emerald shiner had gross lesions typical of SVC disease. The histopathological picture was mostly dominated by necrotic changes in kidney, spleen, liver, pancreas and intestine. IHC further confirmed SVCV infection, and staining was largely correlated with histological lesions. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

What is Normal? A Characterization of the Values and Variabilty in Reproductive Endpoints of the Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas

EPA Science Inventory

Jensen et al. investigated aspects of the normal reproductive biology of the fathead minnow (FHM, P. promelas), and subsequent studies have generated a large amount of additional reproductive data for endpoints such as plasma steroid hormone and vitellogenin concentrations, spa...

A New Approach for the Laboratory Culture of the Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas

EPA Science Inventory

Fathead minnows (Pimphales promelas) are routinely cultured for use in aquatic toxicology studies. Most culture systems consist of a series of 4 to 30 individual tanks with a varied number of breeding pairs in each tank. A new mass culture system described here consists of six ...

Natural Variation in Fish Transcriptomes: Comparative Analysis of the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) and Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

EPA Science Inventory

Fathead minnow and zebrafish are among the most intensively studied fish species in environmental toxicogenomics. To aid the assessment and interpretation of subtle transcriptomic effects from treatment conditions of interest, there needs to be a better characterization and unde...

Characterization of Ontogenetic Changes in Gene Expression in the Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas

EPA Science Inventory

The fathead minnow Pimephales promelas is often used for ecotoxicological studies in the US and elsewhere. Recently, researchers have begun looking at changes in gene expression in this species after contaminant exposure, mostly as a way to unravel novel mechanisms of act...

Human low density lipoprotein as a substrate for in vitro steroidogenesis assays with fathead minnow ovary explants

EPA Science Inventory

Gonad explant in vitro steroidogenesis assays are used as part of a multifaceted strategy to detect endocrine active chemicals capable of altering steroid hormone synthesis. An in vitro steroidogenesis assay used in our laboratory involves exposing fathead minnow (FHM) gonad exp...

Columnaris (Flavobacterium columnare) challenge using fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) in an ultra-low flow system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Arkansas baitfish farms routinely struggle with columnaris disease, which is caused by Flavobacterium columnare. Columnaris is ubiquitous in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) especially after harvest while they are being held in vats and during the transport prior to being sold. Columnaris disea...

High‐resolution mass spectrometry of skin mucus for monitoring physiological impacts and contaminant biotransformation products in fathead minnows exposed to wastewater effluent

EPA Science Inventory

High‐resolution mass spectrometry is advantageous for monitoring physiological impacts and contaminant biotransformation products in fish exposed to complex wastewater effluent. We evaluated this technique using skin mucus from male and female fathead minnows (Pimephales pr...

NMR ANALYSIS OF MALE FATHEAD MINNOW URINARY METABOLITES: A POTENTIAL APPROACH FOR STUDYING IMPACTS OF CHEMICAL EXPOSURES

EPA Science Inventory

The potential for profiling endogenous metabolites in urine from male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to assess chemical exposures was explored using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Both one dimensional (1D) and two dimensional (2D) NMR spectroscopy w...

Fishy aroma of social status: Urinary chemo-signaling of territoriality in male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exhibit life history traits which may be conducive to evolution of systems that use chemical communication to confer information about an individual’s social status. Reproduction in males of this species is dependent upon their ability ...

GENE EXPRESSION PROFILING PROVIDES A SENSITIVE MEASURE OF EXPOSURE TO 17-A ETHINYLESTRADIOL IN THE FATHEAD MINNOW, PIMEPHALES PROMELAS

EPA Science Inventory

The freshwater fish, the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) represents an outstanding biological indicator response model organism based on its ubiquitous North American distribution and extensive use in acute and chronic testing of contaminants, effluents and receiving waters....

Direct Effects, Compensation, and Recovery in Female Fathead Minnows Exposed to a Model Aromatase Inhibitor

EPA Science Inventory

The paper reports on the effects of a model aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole, on molecular and biochemical endpoints within the fathead minnow reproductive axis. Unlike previous studies, this work incorporated extensive time-course characterization over the course of an 8 d exposu...

EVALUATION OF A WASTEWATER DISCHARGE USING VITELLOGENIN GENE EXPRESSION AND PLASMA PROTEIN LEVELS IN MALE FATHEAD MINNOWS

EPA Science Inventory

Liver vitellogenin gene expression and plasma vitellogenin protein presence, indicators of exposure of fish to estrogens, were measured in male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) caged at two locations in a constructed wetland below a sewage treatment plant effluent outfall in...

COMPARISON OF QPCR METHODS FOR THE DETECTION OF VITELLOGENIN EXPRESSION IN FATHEAD MINNOWS

EPA Science Inventory

Male fathead minnows (FHM) normally express little if any of the egg yolk precursor protein vitellogenin (Vg). However, when exposed to estrogenic compounds such as 17a-ethynylestradiol (EE2), transcriptional levels of Vg rise dramatically and result in decreased fecundity and i...

Induction of vitellogenin gene expression in adult male fathead minnows for select EDCs in 48-hour exposures

EPA Science Inventory

Endocrine disrupting chemicals have been shown to be present in surface waters, sediments and sludge, and are known to induce vitellogenin gene liver transcripts in male fathead minnows. The purpose of our study was to establish the lowest concentrations of estrogenic chemicals ...

Direct Effects, Compensation, and Recovery in Female Fathead Minnows Exposed to the Aromatase Inhibitor Fadrozole

EPA Science Inventory

A variety of chemicals present in the environment have the potential to inhibit aromatase, an enzyme critical to estrogen synthesis. The objective of this study was to provide a detailed characterization of the molecular and biochemical responses of female fathead minnows to a m...

TOXICITY OF ACETYLENIC ALCOHOLS TO THE FATHEAD MINNOW, PIMEPHALES PROMELAS: NARCOSIS AND PROELECTROPHILE ACTIVATION

EPA Science Inventory

The 96-h LC50 values for 16 acetylenic alcohols in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) were determined using continuous-flow diluters. The measured LC50 values for seven tertiary propargylic alcohols agreed closely with the QSAR predictions based upon data for other organic ...

Genetic analysis of a novel nidovirus from fathead minnows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Batts, William N.; Goodwin, Andrew E.; Winton, James R.

2012-01-01

A bacilliform virus was isolated from diseased fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Analysis of the complete genome coding for the polyprotein (pp1ab), spike (S), membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins revealed that the virus was most like white bream virus (WBV), another bacilliform virus isolated from white bream (Blicca bjoerkna L.) and the type species of the genus Bafinivirus within the order Nidovirales. In addition to similar gene order and size, alignment of deduced amino acid sequences of the pp1ab, M, N and S proteins of the fathead minnow nidovirus (FHMNV) with those of WBV showed 46, 44, 39 and 15 % identities, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis using the conserved helicase domain of the replicase showed FHMNV was distinct from WBV, yet the closest relative identified to date. Thus, FHMNV appears to represent a second species in the genus Bafinivirus. A PCR assay was developed for the identification of future FHMNV-like isolates.

Effects of short time-course exposure to antiandrogen flutamide on steroidogenesis and gene expression in ovary of female fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Because the mechanisms through which antiandrogens disrupt reproduction in fish are not well-characterized, this work sought to identify genes and pathways affected by antiandrogen exposure, and to compare differentially expressed genes in the fathead minnow to those previously r...

A computational model linking oocyte growth and spawning to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Reproduction is vital to the survival of all living organisms, and reproductive toxicity is an important outcome in determining the ecological risks of chemicals in the environment. To evaluate reproductive toxicity, fathead minnow fecundity, as measured by the average number of...

Observed and modeled effects of pH on bioconcentration of diphenhydramine, a weakly basic pharmaceutical, by fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Understanding the influence of pH on uptake and accumulation of ionizable pharmaceuticals by fish was recently identified as a major research need. In the present study, fathead minnows were exposed to diphenhydramine (DPH), a weakly basic pharmaceutical (pKa = 9.1). Fish were ...

Effects of a Short-term Exposure to the Fungicide Prochloraz on Endocrine Function and Gene Expression in Female Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Prochloraz is a fungicide known to cause endocrine disruption through effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. To determine the short-term impacts of prochloraz on gene expression and steroid production, adult female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exp...

INTRODUCTION OF THE VITELLOGENIN GENE IN EARLY LIFE STAGE FATHEAD MINNOWS AS AN EFFECTIVE EXPOSURE INDICATOR FOR ESTROGENIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Vitellogenin (Vg) gene expression in adult male fathead minnows (FHM) has previously been used successfully to detect exposures to estrogenic compounds in aquatic systems; however, sample volume(s)required for >24h exposure durations and the logistics of sampling pose some limita...

GENOMIC COMPARISON OF IN VITRO AND IN VIVO EFFECTS OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS ON FATHEAD MINNOW ( PIMEPHALES PROMELAS ) OVARIES REVEALS COMPENSATORY MECHANISMS

EPA Science Inventory

This study investigates compensatory mechanisms and feedback control within Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) by comparing genomic and biochemical responses of ovary tissue exposed in vitro to those of ovaries from intact fish after exposure to two model steroidogenesis...

Effects-based Monitoring with Caged Fathead Minnows: An Exposure Gradient Case Study in the Duluth-Superior Harbor, USA

EPA Science Inventory

Within the Great Lakes there is an increased focus on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and consideration of potential effects of chemical mixtures. To further characterize the utility of caged fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) for effects-based monitoring of CECs, we c...

Effects-based Monitoring with Caged Fathead Minnows: An Exposure Gradient Case Study in the Duluth-Superior Harbor, USA (SETAC meeting)

EPA Science Inventory

Within the Great Lakes there is an increased focus on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and consideration of potential effects of chemical mixtures. To further characterize the utility of caged fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) for effects-based monitoring of CECs, we c...

A time-course analysis of effects of the steroidogenesis inhibitor ketoconazole on components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis of fathead minnows (Presentation)

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this study was to evaluate temporal effects of the model steroidogenesis inhibitor ketoconazole (KTC) on aspects of reproductive endocrine function controlled by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Ketoconazo...

A NEW APPROACH FOR THE CULTURE OF FATHEAD MINNOWS, PIMEPHALES PROMELAS

EPA Science Inventory

Fathead minnows (Pimphales promelas) are routinely cultured for use in aquatic toxicology studies. Most culture systems consist of a series of 4 to 30 individual tanks with 16 - 18 fish (2 males and 14-16 females) in each tank. The new mass culture system consists of six 50 gal...

Inference of chemicals that cause biological effects in treated pulp and paper mill effluent using gene expression in caged fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Analytical chemistry techniques can identify chemicals present in the waters of the Great Lakes areas of concern, however it remains a challenge to identify those chemicals or classes of chemicals that actually cause adverse effects. Use of caged fathead minnows (Pimephales prome...

Effects-based monitoring in the lower Green Bay/Fox River and Milwaukee Estuary Areas of Concern using caged Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Within the Great Lakes there is an increased focus on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and their potential effects on aquatic organisms, including adverse reproductive effects. To further characterize the utility of caged fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) for effects-b...

A Time-course Analysis of Effects of the Steroidogenesis Inhibitor Ketoconazole on Components of the Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal Axis of Fathead Minnows

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this study was to evaluate temporal effects of the model steroidogenesis inhibitor ketoconazole (KTC) on aspects of reproductive endocrine function controlled by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Ketoconazo...

A Time-course Analysis of Effects of the Steroidogenesis Inhibitor Ketoconazole on Components of the Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal Axis of Fathead Minnows

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this study was to evaluate temporal effects of the model steroidogenesis inhibitor ketoconazole (KTC) on aspects of reproductive endocrine function controlled by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Ketoconaz...

EFFECTS OF EUTROPHICATION ON VITELLOGENIN GENE EXPRESSION IN MALE FATHEAD MINNOWS (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) EXPOSED TO 17A-ETHYNYLESTRADIOL IN FIELD MESOCOSMS

EPA Science Inventory

This study evaluated the effect of aquatic secondary nutrient supply levels (nitrogen and phosphorus) on the subcellular response of adult male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to a single nominal concentration of 17a-ethynylestradiol (EE2), a potent synthetic estrog...

Mechanistic basis for estrogenic effects in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) following exposure to the androgen 17alpha-methyltestosterone: conversion of 17alpha-methyltestosterone to 17alpha-methylestradiol.

PubMed

Hornung, Michael W; Jensen, Kathleen M; Korte, Joseph J; Kahl, Michael D; Durhan, Elizabeth J; Denny, Jeffrey S; Henry, Tala R; Ankley, Gerald T

2004-01-07

Exposure of adult fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to the androgen 17alpha-methyltestosterone (MT) produces both androgenic and estrogenic effects, manifested as nuptial tubercle formation in females, and vitellogenin production in males and females, respectively. The present study was conducted to determine if the unanticipated estrogenic effects are produced by conversion of MT via aromatase activity to 17alpha-methylestradiol (ME2). Aromatase activity at the end of a 7-day waterborne MT exposure (20, 200microg/l) was significantly decreased in ovarian microsomes and brain homogenates from exposed fish, to about 30-50% of control activity. Although aromatase activity was decreased by 7 days, it is possible that the conversion of MT to ME2 occurred soon after initial exposure. In support of this, ME2 was detected in plasma samples of the fish following the 7-day exposure, confirming their ability convert the androgen MT to the estrogen ME2. The concentration of ME2 in plasma was within the range of plasma 17ss-estradiol (E2) found in control female fathead minnows (4-5ng/ml). These results, in conjunction with competitive binding assays that indicate ME2 binds to the fathead minnow estrogen receptor with a relative binding affinity of 68.3% of E2, support the hypothesis that aromatization of MT to ME2 contributes to the estrogenic effects in fathead minnows following exposure to this androgen.

Oral exposure of PBDE-47 in fish: toxicokinetics and reproductive effects in Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) and fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Muirhead, Elisabeth K; Skillman, Ann D; Hook, Sharon E; Schultz, Irvin R

2006-01-15

The toxicokinetics of 2,2,4,4-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (PBDE-47) was studied in the Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) after a single oral exposure followed by termination at specific time points. The effects of repeated oral exposure to PBDE-47 on reproductive performance was assessed using a pair breeding experimental design with fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) given daily PBDE-47 exposures for 25 days, during which fecundity was measured as an indicator of reproductive performance. Medaka and fathead minnows were orally exposed to PBDE-47 by bioencapsulation in brine shrimp, Artemia sp. In the medaka studies, measurable levels of PBDE-47 were detected in the carcass within 0.25 h with peak levels occurring at 8 h. The body levels of PBDE-47 slowly declined and were still 25% of peak levels at 624 h after dosing. Assimilation of the bioencapsulated dose was at least 80% and may well approach 100%. The PBDE-47 concentration-time profile was fitted to a one-compartment clearance-volume toxicokinetic model and the model-predicted value for elimination half-life was determined to be 281 h and the first-order absorption rate constant was Ka = 0.26 hr(-1). In the fathead minnow study, egg laying in the PBDE-treated breeding pairs stopped after 10 days. The condition factor of PBDE-treated males was significantly reduced (P <0.011) compared with control males, whereas no significant difference was observed in females. Histological examination revealed a greater than 50% reduction in mature sperm in PBDE-47 exposed minnows compared to controls. Collectively, these results suggest PBDE-47 is selectively toxic to sexually mature male fathead minnows.

Effects of the biopesticide Zequanox® on reproduction and early development of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waller, Diane L.; Luoma, James A.

2017-01-01

The biopesticide, Zequanox®, is registered for dreissenid mussel control in open water systems in the United States. Previous toxicity trials with nontarget organisms, including several young-of-the-year fish species and invertebrates, demonstrated selectivity of Zequanox for dreissenid mussels, but data are lacking on the treatment-related effects on reproduction and early life stage development of fish. The present study evaluated the effects of Zequanox on spawning and early life stages of the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas, after exposure to the maximum approved concentration [100 mg active ingredient (AI)/L] and exposure duration (8h) for open water application. The results showed no significant treatment-related effect of Zequanox on survival, condition, or cumulative egg production (21 d) in adult fathead minnow. Eggs (≤24 h old) exposed to Zequanox developed to the eyed-stage at a similar rate to that of untreated eggs. Additionally, Zequanox did not have a significant effect on survival and growth (90 d) of newly hatched larvae (≤24-h old). Zequanox may be an option for control of dreissenid mussels in localized open water habitats where concerns exist regarding reproduction and recruitment of cyprinids and related species.

Modulation of estrogenic exposure effects via alterations in salinity and dissolved oxygen in male fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Laboratory exposure data indicate that estrogens and estrogen mimics can cause endocrine disruption in male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). In the wild, conditions are not static as is often the case in the laboratory. Changes in water quality parameters, such as salinity influx due to road s...

Metabolite profiles of repeatedly sampled urine from male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) contain unique lipid signatures following exposure to anti-androgens

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, we sought to identify candidate markers of exposure to anti-androgens by analyzing endogenous metabolite profiles in the urine of male fathead minnows (mFHM, Pimephales promelas). Based on earlier work, we hypothesized that unidentifi...

A COMPARISON OF THE LETHAL AND SUBLETHAL TOXICITY OF ORGANIC CHEMICAL MIXTURES TO THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

The joint toxic effects of known binary and multiple organic chemical mixtures to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) were defined at both the 96-h 50% lethal effect concentration (LC50) and sublethal (32-d growth) response levels for toxicants with a narcosis I, narcosis II...

EVALUATION OF THE AROMATASE INHIBITOR FADROZOLE IN A SHORT-TERM REPRODUCTION ASSAY WITH THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

Cytochrome P450 aromatase is a key enzyme in vertebrate steroidogenesis, catalyzing the conversion of C19 androgens to C18 estrogens such a B-estradiol (E2). The objective of this study was to assess effects of the CYP inhibitor fadrozole on fathead minnow reproductive endocrinol...

A study of temporal effects of the model anti-androgen flutamide on components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in adult fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

The aim of this study was to investigate temporal changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) treated with the model androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, flutamide. Reproductively-mature fish were exposed in a flow-through, meas...

Investigating Compensation and Recovery of Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) Exposed to 17α-Ethynylestradiol with Metabolite Profiling

EPA Science Inventory

1H-NMR spectroscopy was used to profile metabolite changes in the livers of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to the synthetic estrogen 17α ethynylestradiol (EE2) via a continuous flow water exposure. Fish were exposed to either 10 or 100 ng EE2/L for 8 days, followed...

EVALUATION OF THE ROBUSTNESS OF THE FATHEAD MINNOW, PIMEPHALES PROMELAS, LARVAL SURVIVAL AND GROWTH TEST, U.S. EPA METHOD 1000.0

EPA Science Inventory

An intralaboratory study was conducted to evaluate the robustness of the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) Larval Survival and Growth Test, Method 1000.0 Toxicity tests were conducted with the reference toxicants hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) and copper (Cu), and the data were st...

Comparison of Chemical Binding to Recombinant Fathead minnow and Human Estrogen Receptor alpha (ERα) in Whole Cell and Cell-Free Assay Systems.

EPA Science Inventory

Our objectives were to assess whether binding of chemicals differs significantly between recombinant estrogen receptors from fathead minnow (fhERα) and human (hERα) and to evaluate the performance of these receptors using two different in vitro assay systems: a COS whole cell bin...

SUBCHRONIC SENSITIVITY OF ONE-, FOUR-, AND SEVEN-DAY-OLD FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) LARVAE TO FIVE TOXICANTS

EPA Science Inventory

The fathead minnow (pimephales promelas) larval survival and growth test was used to evaluate the relative sensitivity of 1-,4-, and 7-d-old larvae to five contaminants, KC1, NaC1, 1-octanol, carbaryl, and benzaldehyde. The no observable effect concentration (NOEC) for survival o...

EVALUATION OF THE MODEL ANTI-ANDROGEN FLUTAMIDE FOR ASSESSING THE MECHANISTIC BASIS OF RESPONSES TO AN ANDROGEN IN THE FATHEAD MINNOW (JOURNAL ARTICLE)

EPA Science Inventory

In this study we characterized the effects of flutamide, a model mammalian androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, on endocrine function in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), a small fish species which is widely used for testing endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Binding a...

Profiling Lipid Metabolites Yields Unique Information on Sex- and Time-dependent Responses of Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas) Exposed to 17α-Ethynylestradiol

EPA Science Inventory

Alterations in hepatic lipid profiles of fathead minnows (FHM) exposed to the synthetic estrogen 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) were determined using 1H-NMR spectroscopy-based metabolite profiling. The exposures were conducted using either 10 ng/l or 100 ng/l EE2 via a continuous flo...

Field-Based Approach for Assessing the Impact of Treated Pulp and Paper Mill Effluent on Endogenous Metabolites of Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

A field-based metabolomic study was conducted during a shutdown of a pulp and paper mill (PPM) to assess the impacts of treated PPM effluent on endogenous polar metabolites in fathead minnow (FHM; Pimephales promelas) livers. Caged male and female FHMs were deployed at a Great La...

Impacts of an Anti-androgen and an Androgen/anti-androgen Mixture on the Metabolite Profile of Male Fathead Minnow Urine

EPA Science Inventory

Male and female fathead minnows (FHM) were exposed via the water to cyproterone acetate (CA), a model androgen receptor (AR) antagonist. FHM were also exposed to 517b-trenbolone (TB), a model AR agonist, and to mixtures of TB with CA. The urine metabolite profile of male FHM ex...

Computational Model of the Fathead Minnow Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis: Incorporating Protein Synthesis in Improving Predictability of Responses to Endocrine Active Chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

There is international concern about chemicals that alter endocrine system function in humans and/or wildlife and subsequently cause adverse effects. We previously developed a mechanistic computational model of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in female fathead minno...

Impacts of an Anti-Androgen and an Adrogen/Anti-Androgen Mixture on the Metabolite Profile of Male Fathead Minnow Urine

EPA Science Inventory

Male and female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas, FHM) were exposed via water to 20 or 200 μg/L of cyproterone acetate (CA), a model androgen receptor (AR) antagonist. FHM were also exposed to 500 ng/L of 17β-trenbolone (TB), a model AR agonist, and to mixtures of TB with bot...

CDNA CLONING OF FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) ESTROGEN AND ANDROGEN RECEPTORS FOR USE IN STEROID RECEPTOR EXTRAPOLATION STUDIES FOR ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS

EPA Science Inventory

cDNA Cloning of Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) Estrogen and Androgen Receptors for Use in Steroid Receptor Extrapolation Studies for Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals.

Wilson, V.S.1,, Korte, J.2, Hartig P. 1, Ankley, G.T.2, Gray, L.E., Jr 1, , and Welch, J.E.1. 1U.S...

Susceptibility of Representative Great Lakes Fish Species to the North Carolina Strain of Spring Viremia of Carp Virus (SVCV).

PubMed

Boonthai, Traimat; Loch, Thomas P; Standish, Isaac; Faisal, Mohamed

2017-12-01

Spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) is a notifiable pathogen of the World Organization of Animal Health. Since SVCV was isolated in Lake Ontario in 2007, concern has grown about its spread in the Great Lakes basin and its potential negative impacts on fish species of importance in stock enhancement programs basinwide. The susceptibility of representative fish species from the families Cyprinidae (Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas, Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas, Spotfin Shiner Cyprinella spiloptera, and Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus), Centrarchidae (Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides), Percidae (Walleye Sander vitreus), Salmonidae (Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss), and Esocidae (Muskellunge Esox masquinongy) to SVCV was evaluated by experimental infection under laboratory conditions. Morbidity and mortality were recorded, and virus re-isolation, seminested reverse transcription PCR, and histopathological assessments were performed. Using intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection, Fathead Minnows and Golden Shiners were highly susceptible to SVCV (40-70% mortality). All dead or moribund and apparently healthy surviving Fathead Minnows and Golden Shiners were SVCV positive. The SVCV was also detected in challenged but healthy Spotfin Shiners (30%) and Creek Chub (5%). However, noncyprinid species exhibited no morbidity or mortality and were free of SVCV following an observation period of 30 d. In a follow-up experimental challenge, Fathead Minnows and Golden Shiners were SVCV challenged at 10 3 and 10 5 PFU/mL by means of waterborne immersion. After immersion, Fathead Minnows and Golden Shiners exhibited characteristic SVCV disease signs, but mortality was less (30% and 10% mortality, respectively) than that in fish with i.p. injections. The SVCV was detected in all mortalities and a subset of healthy Fathead Minnows and Golden Shiners. Necrotic changes were observed in the kidneys, liver, spleen, ovaries, and heart, and other histopathological lesions also occurred. These findings suggest that two of the four cyprinids tested are susceptible to SVCV-induced disease and that all four can act as potential carriers of SVCV in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Received January 11, 2017; accepted July 17, 2017.

Time-specific and population-level differences in physiological responses of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) exposed to copper.

PubMed

Peles, John D; Pistole, David H; Moffe, Mickey C

2012-03-01

The influence of exposure time on gill Na+/K+ ATPase activity and metabolic rate in populations of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) hatcheries in Ohio (OH) and Pennsylvania (PA) when exposed to sublethal concentrations of copper (Cu) was examined. The pattern of change in gill Na+/K+ ATPase activity was similar in all species/populations and results support expectations based on the concept of acclimation. In all populations, Na+/K+ ATPase activity declined significantly compared to reference values within 24 h, recovered by 48 h, and then continued to increase before exceeding reference values by 192 h. With the exception of PA fathead minnows, Na+/K+ ATPase activities returned to reference levels by 384 h. Although metabolic rates of individual fish were not strongly correlated with Na+/K+ ATPase activities, the pattern of change in mean values of these physiological parameters was very similar. However, OH populations of both fathead minnows and golden shiners demonstrated much more dramatic changes in metabolic rate compared to PA fish. At 24 h, metabolic rate of PA fathead minnows had decreased by 16% compared to the reference value whereas the OH population had decreased by 31%; metabolic rate of PA golden shiners declined by 23% compared to 59% in OH shiners at 24 h. Similar differences were observed in the maximum metabolic rates achieved at 192 h. While the increased sensitivity of OH fish to Cu is not readily explainable by genetic or environmental factors, results suggest the need for considering population level differences when evaluating the physiological effects of toxicants. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Warmed Winter Water Temperatures Alter Reproduction in Two Fish Species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firkus, Tyler; Rahel, Frank J.; Bergman, Harold L.; Cherrington, Brian D.

2018-02-01

We examined the spawning success of Fathead Minnows ( Pimephales promelas) and Johnny Darters ( Etheostoma nigrum) exposed to elevated winter water temperatures typical of streams characterized by anthropogenic thermal inputs. When Fathead Minnows were exposed to temperature treatments of 12, 16, or 20 °C during the winter, spawning occurred at 16 and 20 °C but not 12 °C. Eggs were deposited over 9 weeks before winter spawning ceased. Fathead Minnows from the three winter temperature treatments were then exposed to a simulated spring transition. Spawning occurred at all three temperature treatments during the spring, but fish from the 16° and 20 °C treatment had delayed egg production indicating a latent effect of warm winter temperatures on spring spawning. mRNA analysis of the egg yolk protein vitellogenin showed elevated expression in female Fathead Minnows at 16 and 20 °C during winter spawning that decreased after winter spawning ceased, whereas Fathead Minnows at 12 °C maintained comparatively low expression during winter. Johnny Darters were exposed to 4 °C to represent winter temperatures in the absence of thermal inputs, and 12, 16, and 20 °C to represent varying degrees of winter thermal pollution. Johnny Darters spawned during winter at 12, 16, and 20 °C but not at 4 °C. Johnny Darters at 4 °C subsequently spawned following a simulated spring period while those at 12, 16, and 20 °C did not. Our results indicate elevated winter water temperatures common in effluent-dominated streams can promote out-of-season spawning and that vitellogenin expression is a useful indicator of spawning readiness for fish exposed to elevated winter temperatures.

Warmed Winter Water Temperatures Alter Reproduction in Two Fish Species.

PubMed

Firkus, Tyler; Rahel, Frank J; Bergman, Harold L; Cherrington, Brian D

2018-02-01

We examined the spawning success of Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas) and Johnny Darters (Etheostoma nigrum) exposed to elevated winter water temperatures typical of streams characterized by anthropogenic thermal inputs. When Fathead Minnows were exposed to temperature treatments of 12, 16, or 20 °C during the winter, spawning occurred at 16 and 20 °C but not 12 °C. Eggs were deposited over 9 weeks before winter spawning ceased. Fathead Minnows from the three winter temperature treatments were then exposed to a simulated spring transition. Spawning occurred at all three temperature treatments during the spring, but fish from the 16° and 20 °C treatment had delayed egg production indicating a latent effect of warm winter temperatures on spring spawning. mRNA analysis of the egg yolk protein vitellogenin showed elevated expression in female Fathead Minnows at 16 and 20 °C during winter spawning that decreased after winter spawning ceased, whereas Fathead Minnows at 12 °C maintained comparatively low expression during winter. Johnny Darters were exposed to 4 °C to represent winter temperatures in the absence of thermal inputs, and 12, 16, and 20 °C to represent varying degrees of winter thermal pollution. Johnny Darters spawned during winter at 12, 16, and 20 °C but not at 4 °C. Johnny Darters at 4 °C subsequently spawned following a simulated spring period while those at 12, 16, and 20 °C did not. Our results indicate elevated winter water temperatures common in effluent-dominated streams can promote out-of-season spawning and that vitellogenin expression is a useful indicator of spawning readiness for fish exposed to elevated winter temperatures.

Observed and modeled effects of pH on bioconcentration of diphenhydramine, a weakly basic pharmaceutical, in fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Fathead minnows were exposed to diphenhydramine (DPH), a weakly basic pharmaceutical (pKa = 9.1), to examine pH effects on uptake and accumulation. Fish were exposed to 10 ìg/L DPH in water for up to 96 h at three nominal pH levels: 6.7, 7.7, and 8.7. In each case, an appa...

Antidepressants at environmentally relevant concentrations affect predator avoidance behavior of larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Furlong, Edward T.; Barber, Larry B.; Meghan R. McGee,; Megan A. Buerkley,; Matthew L. Julius,; Vajda, Alan M.; Heiko L. Schoenfuss,; Schultz, Melissa M.; Norris, David O.

2009-01-01

The effects of embryonic and larval exposure to environmentally relevant (ng/L) concentrations of common antidepressants, fluoxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, and bupropion (singularly and in mixture) on C-start escape behavior were evaluated in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Embryos (postfertilization until hatching) were exposed for 5 d and, after hatching, were allowed to grow in control well water until 12 d old. Similarly, posthatch fathead minnows were exposed for 12 d to these compounds. High-speed (1,000 frames/s) video recordings of escape behavior were collected and transferred to National Institutes of Health Image for frame-by- frame analysis of latency periods, escape velocities, and total escape response (combination of latency period and escape velocity). When tested 12 d posthatch, fluoxetine and venlafaxine adversely affected C-start performance of larvae exposed as embryos. Conversely, larvae exposed for 12 d posthatch did not exhibit altered escape responses when exposed to fluoxetine but were affected by venlafaxine and bupropion exposure. Mixtures of these four antidepressant pharmaceuticals slowed predator avoidance behaviors in larval fathead minnows regardless of the exposure window. The direct impact of reduced C-start performance on survival and, ultimately, reproductive fitness provides an avenue to assess the ecological relevance of exposure in an assay of relatively short duration.

Antidepressants at environmentally relevant concentrations affect predator avoidance behavior of larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Painter, M.M.; Buerkley, M.A.; Julius, M.L.; Vajda, A.M.; Norris, D.O.; Barber, L.B.; Furlong, E.T.; Schultz, M.M.; Schoenfuss, H.L.

2009-01-01

The effects of embryonic and larval exposure to environmentally relevant (ng/L) concentrations of common antidepressants, fluoxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, and bupropion (singularly and in mixture) on C-start escape behavior were evaluated in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Embryos (postfertilization until hatching) were exposed for 5 d and, after hatching, were allowed to grow in control well water until 12 d old. Similarly, posthatch fathead minnows were exposed for 12 d to these compounds. High-speed (1,000 frames/s) video recordings of escape behavior were collected and transferred to National Institutes of Health Image for frame-by-frame analysis of latency periods, escape velocities, and total escape response (combination of latency period and escape velocity). When tested 12 d posthatch, fluoxetine and venlafaxine adversely affected C-start performance of larvae exposed as embryos. Conversely, larvae exposed for 12 d posthatch did not exhibit altered escape responses when exposed to fluoxetine but were affected by venlafaxine and bupropion exposure. Mixtures of these four antidepressant pharmaceuticals slowed predator avoidance behaviors in larval fathead minnows regardless of the exposure window. The direct impact of reduced C-start performance on survival and, ultimately, reproductive fitness provides an avenue to assess the ecological relevance of exposure in an assay of relatively short duration. ?? 2009 SETAC.

Tissue lead concentration during chronic exposure of Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) to lead nitrate in aquarium water.

PubMed

Spokas, Eric G; Spur, Bernd W; Smith, Holly; Kemp, Francis W; Bogden, John D

2006-11-01

The fathead minnow is a useful species for evaluating the toxicity of wastewater effluents. While this fish is widely used for "survival" studies of metal toxicity, little or no work has been done on the tissue distribution of metals in fathead minnows. To determine the distribution of tissue lead, aquarium studies were conducted for several weeks with fish maintained in soft synthetic freshwater. Lead- (II) nitrate was added to three aquaria attaining concentrations of 20-30 ppb (aquarium B), 100-140 ppb (aquarium C), and roughly 200 ppb (aquarium D). Results were compared to controls (aquarium A). During the initial week, the majority of aquarium D fish died, whereas few deaths occurred in the other groups. Lead accumulation was dose- and tissue-dependent, with highest uptake by the gills. Gill concentrations of aquarium D fish averaged about 4-fold higherthan in skeleton or skin and muscle. In vitro, lead (2.5-25 ppm) caused dose-dependent reductions in the ratio of reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) in gills incubated in physiological buffer. These findings demonstrate that fathead minnow gills bind and accumulate waterborne lead rapidly and preferentially and raise the possibility that gill lipid peroxidation contributes to lead toxicity at low water hardness.

Do laboratory species protect endangered species? Interspecies variation in responses to 17β-estradiol, a model endocrine active compound.

PubMed

Jorgenson, Z G; Buhl, K; Bartell, S E; Schoenfuss, H L

2015-01-01

Although the effects of estrogens on model laboratory species are well documented, their utility as surrogates for other species, including those listed as endangered, are less clear. Traditionally, conservation policies are evaluated based on model organism responses but are intended to protect all species in an environment. We tested the hypothesis that the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus) is more vulnerable to endocrine disruption-as assessed through its larval predator-escape performance, survival, juvenile sex ratios, and whole-body vitellogenin concentration-than the commonly used toxicological model species fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Fish were exposed concurrently for 21 days to the model endocrine active compound (EAC) 17ß-estradiol (E2) at 10 ng E2/L and 30 ng E2/L in a flow-through system using reconstituted water that simulated the physicochemical conditions of the Middle Rio Grande in New Mexico, USA. No significant differences were observed between the fathead and silvery minnow in larval predator-escape response or juvenile sex ratio. Rio Grande silvery minnow survival decreased significantly at day 14 compared with the other two species; by day 21, both cyprinid species (silvery minnow and fathead minnow) exhibited a significant decrease in survival compared with bluegill sunfish, a member of the family Centrarchidae. Male Rio Grande silvery minnow showed a significant increase in whole-body vitellogenin concentration in the 10 ng/L treatment, whereas fathead minnow and bluegill sunfish showed no significant increases in vitellogenin concentrations across treatments. Our study showed response differences to estrogen exposures between the two cyprinid species and further divergence in responses between the families Cyprinidae and Centrarchidae. These results suggest that commonly used laboratory model organisms may be less sensitive to EACs than the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow. However, this study supports the continued use of surrogate species for the beneficial implementation of water-quality regulations for the protection of threatened and endangered species if phylogenetic relationships are taken into consideration.

Do laboratory species protect endangered species? Interspecies variation in responses to 17β-estradiol, a model endocrine active compound

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jorgenson, Zachary G.; Buhl, Kevin J.; Bartell, Stephen E.; Schoenfuss, Heiko L.

2015-01-01

Although the effects of estrogens on model laboratory species are well documented, their utility as surrogates for other species, including those listed as endangered, are less clear. Traditionally, conservation policies are evaluated based on model organism responses but are intended to protect all species in an environment. We tested the hypothesis that the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus) is more vulnerable to endocrine disruption—as assessed through its larval predator-escape performance, survival, juvenile sex ratios, and whole-body vitellogenin concentration—than the commonly used toxicological model species fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Fish were exposed concurrently for 21 days to the model endocrine active compound (EAC) 17ß-estradiol (E2) at 10 ng E2/L and 30 ng E2/L in a flow-through system using reconstituted water that simulated the physicochemical conditions of the Middle Rio Grande in New Mexico, USA. No significant differences were observed between the fathead and silvery minnow in larval predator-escape response or juvenile sex ratio. Rio Grande silvery minnow survival decreased significantly at day 14 compared with the other two species; by day 21, both cyprinid species (silvery minnow and fathead minnow) exhibited a significant decrease in survival compared with bluegill sunfish, a member of the family Centrarchidae. Male Rio Grande silvery minnow showed a significant increase in whole-body vitellogenin concentration in the 10 ng/L treatment, whereas fathead minnow and bluegill sunfish showed no significant increases in vitellogenin concentrations across treatments. Our study showed response differences to estrogen exposures between the two cyprinid species and further divergence in responses between the families Cyprinidae and Centrarchidae. These results suggest that commonly used laboratory model organisms may be less sensitive to EACs than the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow. However, this study supports the continued use of surrogate species for the beneficial implementation of water-quality regulations for the protection of threatened and endangered species if phylogenetic relationships are taken into consideration.

Influence of metal concentrations, percent salinity, and length of exposure on the metabolic rate of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Pistole, David H; Peles, John D; Taylor, Kelly

2008-07-01

Understanding the effects of chemical toxicants on energetic processes is an important aspect of ecotoxicology. However, the influence of toxicant concentration and time of exposure on metabolism in aquatic organisms is still poorly understood. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of increasing levels of three stressors (Cu, Cd, percent salinity) and exposure time (24 h and 96 h) on the metabolic rate of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). In all 24-h exposures, there existed a threshold concentration, above which metabolic rate decreased significantly compared to the control and lower concentrations. In contrast, the metabolic rate of fish exposed for 96 h increased significantly in all concentrations compared to fish from the control. We suggest fathead minnows exhibit a consistent pattern of metabolic response to stressors, regardless of the physiological mechanisms involved, and that this response differs as a function of time of exposure.

Transcription of key genes regulating gonadal steroidogenesis in control and ketoconazole- or vinclozolin-exposed fathead minnows

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Villeneuve, Daniel L.; Blake, Lindsey S.; Brodin, Jeffrey

2007-08-01

This study evaluated changes in the expression of steroidogenesis-related genes in male fathead minnows exposed to ketoconazole (KTC) or vinclozolin (VZ) for 21 days. The aim was to evaluate links between molecular changes and higher level outcomes after exposure to endocrine-active chemicals (EACs) with different modes of action. To aid our analysis and interpretation of EAC-related effects, we first examined variation in the relative abundance of steroidogenesis-related gene transcripts in the gonads of male and female fathead minnows as a function of age, gonad development, and spawning status, independent of EAC exposure. Gonadal expression of several genes varied with agemore » and/or gonadal somatic index in either males or females. However, with the exception of aromatase, steroidogenesis-related gene expression did not vary with spawning status. Following the baseline experiments, expression of the selected genes in male fathead minnows exposed to KTC or VZ was evaluated in the context of effects observed at higher levels of organization. Exposure to KTC elicited changes in gene transcription that were consistent with an apparent compensatory response to the chemical's anticipated direct inhibition of steroidogenic enzyme activity. Exposure to VZ, an antiandrogen expected to indirectly impact steroidogenesis, increased pituitary expression of follicle-stimulating hormone beta-subunit as well as testis expression of 20beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and luteinizing hormone receptor transcripts. Results of this study contribute to ongoing research aimed at understanding responses of the teleost hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis to different types of EACs and how changes in molecular endpoints translate into apical outcomes reflective of either adverse effect or compensation.« less

Ecotoxicity hazard assessment of styrene.

PubMed

Cushman, J R; Rausina, G A; Cruzan, G; Gilbert, J; Williams, E; Harrass, M C; Sousa, J V; Putt, A E; Garvey, N A; St Laurent, J P; Hoberg, J R; Machado, M W

1997-07-01

The ecotoxicity of styrene was evaluated in acute toxicity studies of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), daphnids (Daphnia magna), amphipods (Hyalella azteca), and freshwater green algae (Selenastrum capricornutum), and a subacute toxicity study of earthworms (Eisenia fostida). Stable exposure levels were maintained in the studies with fathead minnows, daphnids, and amphipods using sealed, flowthrough, serial dilution systems and test vessels. The algae were evaluated in a sealed, static system. The earthworms were exposed in artificial soil which was renewed after 7 days. Styrene concentrations in water and soil were analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection following extraction into hexane. Test results are based on measured concentrations. Styrene was moderately toxic to fathead minnows, daphnids, and amphipods: fathead minnow: LC50 (96 hr), 10 mg/liter, and NOEC, 4.0 mg/liter; daphnids: EC50 (48 hr), 4.7 mg/liter, and NOEC, 1.9 mg/liter; amphipods: LC50 (96 hr), 9.5 mg/liter, and NOEC, 4.1 mg/liter. Styrene was highly toxic to green algae: EC50 (96 hr), 0.72 mg/liter, and NOEC, 0.063 mg/liter; these effects were found to be algistatic rather than algicidal. Styrene was slightly toxic to earthworms: LC50 (14 days), 120 mg/kg, and NOEC, 44 mg/kg. There was no indication of a concern for chronic toxicity based on these studies. Styrene's potential impact on aquatic and soil environments is significantly mitigated by its volatility and biodegradability.

Sex differences in the uptake and disposition of perfluorooctanoic acid in fathead minnows after oral dosing.

PubMed

Lee, Jonathan J; Schultz, Irvin R

2010-01-01

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) among other perfluorinated acids is becoming recognized as a ubiquitous environmental contaminant. PFOA is resistant to environmental degradation and appears to undergo no biotransformation in animals. Previous toxicokinetic studies in rodents have indicated that urinary excretion is the most important elimination pathway once PFOA has been absorbed. In some species such as rats, large sex-related differences in urinary excretion have been reported, with females having a much shorter blood or plasma elimination half-life than that of males. It is unknown whether this phenomenon occurs in fish. Therefore, this study determined the disposition of PFOA in male and female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) after a single oral dose of PFOA. After dosing, minnows were subsequently euthanized at various times until 336 h postdosing and the PFOA concentration was measured in plasma, gonads, and fish carcass. The concentration-time profiles of PFOA were then analyzed using toxicokinetic methods. The results indicated a clear sex difference in the elimination of PFOA. The plasma elimination half-life of PFOA in female minnows was 6.3 h while in male minnows it was 68.5 h. Pretreatment of female minnows with the synthetic androgen trenbolone substantially delayed the elimination of PFOA, causing the elimination half-life to increase to 25.3 h. In males, pretreatment with the synthetic estrogen ethynylestradiol (EE2) had little effect on PFOA toxicokinetics. These results indicate that the sex differences in PFOA elimination in fathead minnows can at least partially be modulated by exposure to synthetic sex steroids. Whether sex differences in PFOA elimination in minnows is attributable to differences in renal transport activity, as it appears to be for rodents, is unknown at present but clearly warrants further study.

Reproductive responses of male fathead minnows exposed to wastewater treatment plant effluent, effluent treated with XAD8 resin, and an environmentally relevant mixture of alkylphenol compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, L.B.; Lee, K.E.; Swackhamer, D.L.; Schoenfuss, H.L.

2007-01-01

On-site, continuous-flow experiments were conducted during August and October 2002 at a major metropolitan wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to determine if effluent exposure induced endocrine disruption as manifested in the reproductive competence of sexually mature male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). The fathead minnows were exposed in parallel experiments to WWTP effluent and WWTP effluent treated with XAD8 macroreticular resin to remove the hydrophobic-neutral fraction which contained steroidal hormones, alkylphenolethoxylates (APEs), and other potential endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). The effluent composition varied on a temporal scale and the continuous-flow experiments captured the range of chemical variability that occurred during normal WWTP operations. Exposure to WWTP effluent resulted in vitellogenin induction in male fathead minnows, with greater response in October than in August. Concentrations of ammonia, APEs, 17??-estradiol, and other EDCs also were greater in October than in August, reflecting a change in effluent composition. In the October experiment, XAD8 treatment significantly reduced vitellogenin induction in the male fathead minnows relative to the untreated effluent, whereas in August, XAD8 treatment had little effect. During both experiments, XAD8 treatment removed greater than 90% of the APEs. Exposure of fish to a mixture of APEs similar in composition and concentration to the WWTP effluent, but prepared in groundwater and conducted at a separate facility, elicited vitellogenin induction during both experiments. There was a positive relation between vitellogenin induction and hepatosomatic index (HSI), but not gonadosomatic index (GSI), secondary sexual characteristics index (SSCI), or reproductive competency. In contrast to expectations, the GSI and SSCI increased in males exposed to WWTP effluent compared to groundwater controls. The GSI, SSCI, and reproductive competency were positively affected by XAD8 treatment of the WWTP effluent. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reproductive responses of male fathead minnows exposed to wastewater treatment plant effluent, effluent treated with XAD8 resin, and an environmentally relevant mixture of alkylphenol compounds.

PubMed

Barber, Larry B; Lee, Kathy E; Swackhamer, Deborah L; Schoenfuss, Heiko L

2007-04-20

On-site, continuous-flow experiments were conducted during August and October 2002 at a major metropolitan wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to determine if effluent exposure induced endocrine disruption as manifested in the reproductive competence of sexually mature male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). The fathead minnows were exposed in parallel experiments to WWTP effluent and WWTP effluent treated with XAD8 macroreticular resin to remove the hydrophobic-neutral fraction which contained steroidal hormones, alkylphenolethoxylates (APEs), and other potential endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). The effluent composition varied on a temporal scale and the continuous-flow experiments captured the range of chemical variability that occurred during normal WWTP operations. Exposure to WWTP effluent resulted in vitellogenin induction in male fathead minnows, with greater response in October than in August. Concentrations of ammonia, APEs, 17beta-estradiol, and other EDCs also were greater in October than in August, reflecting a change in effluent composition. In the October experiment, XAD8 treatment significantly reduced vitellogenin induction in the male fathead minnows relative to the untreated effluent, whereas in August, XAD8 treatment had little effect. During both experiments, XAD8 treatment removed greater than 90% of the APEs. Exposure of fish to a mixture of APEs similar in composition and concentration to the WWTP effluent, but prepared in groundwater and conducted at a separate facility, elicited vitellogenin induction during both experiments. There was a positive relation between vitellogenin induction and hepatosomatic index (HSI), but not gonadosomatic index (GSI), secondary sexual characteristics index (SSCI), or reproductive competency. In contrast to expectations, the GSI and SSCI increased in males exposed to WWTP effluent compared to groundwater controls. The GSI, SSCI, and reproductive competency were positively affected by XAD8 treatment of the WWTP effluent.

Identification of a CYP3A form (CYP3A126) in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and characterisation of putative CYP3A enzyme activity.

PubMed

Christen, Verena; Caminada, Daniel; Arand, Michael; Fent, Karl

2010-01-01

Cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases (CYPs) are involved in the metabolic defence against xenobiotics. Human CYP3A enzymes metabolise about 50% of all pharmaceuticals in use today. Induction of CYPs and associated xenobiotic metabolism occurs also in fish and may serve as a useful tool for biomonitoring of environmental contamination. In this study we report on the cloning of a CYP3A family gene from fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), which has been designated as CYP3A126 by the P450 nomenclature committee (GenBank no. EU332792). The cDNA was isolated, identified and characterised by extended inverse polymerase chain reaction (PCR), an alternative to the commonly used method of rapid amplification of cDNA ends. In a fathead minnow cell line we identified a full-length cDNA sequence (1,863 base pairs (bp)) consisting of a 1,536 bp open reading frame encoding a 512 amino acid protein. Genomic analysis of the identified CYP3A isoenzyme revealed a DNA sequence consisting of 13 exons and 12 introns. CYP3A126 is also expressed in fathead minnow liver as demonstrated by reverse transcription PCR. Exposure of fathead minnow (FHM) cells with the CYP3A inducer rifampicin leads to dose-dependent increase in putative CYP3A enzyme activity. In contrast, inhibitory effects of diazepam treatment were observed on putative CYP3A enzyme activity and additionally on CYP3A126 mRNA expression. This indicates that CYP3A is active in FHM cells and that CYP3A126 is at least in part responsible for this CYP3A activity. Further investigations will show whether CYP3A126 is involved in the metabolism of environmental chemicals.

Assessing water quality suitability for shortnose sturgeon in the Roanoke River, North Carolina, USA with an in situ bioassay approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cope, W.G.; Holliman, F.M.; Kwak, T.J.; Oakley, N.C.; Lazaro, P.R.; Shea, D.; Augspurger, T.; Law, J.M.; Henne, J.P.; Ware, K.M.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the suitability of water quality in the Roanoke River of North Carolina for supporting shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum, an endangered species in the United States. Fathead minnows Pimephales promelas were also evaluated alongside the sturgeon as a comparative species to measure potential differences in fish survival, growth, contaminant accumulation, and histopathology in a 28-day in situ toxicity test. Captively propagated juvenile shortnose sturgeon (total length 49??8mm, mean??SD) and fathead minnows (total length 39??3mm, mean??SD) were used in the test and their outcomes were compared to simultaneous measurements of water quality (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, total ammonia nitrogen, hardness, alkalinity, turbidity) and contaminant chemistry (metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides, current use pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls) in river water and sediment. In the in situ test, there were three non-riverine control sites and eight riverine test sites with three replicate cages (25??15-cm (OD) clear plexiglass with 200-??m tear-resistant Nitex?? screen over each end) of 20 shortnose sturgeon per cage at each site. There was a single cage of fathead minnows also deployed at each site alongside the sturgeon cages. Survival of caged shortnose sturgeon among the riverine sites averaged 9% (range 1.7-25%) on day 22 of the 28-day study, whereas sturgeon survival at the non-riverine control sites averaged 64% (range 33-98%). In contrast to sturgeon, only one riverine deployed fathead minnow died (average 99.4% survival) over the 28-day test period and none of the control fathead minnows died. Although chemical analyses revealed the presence of retene (7-isopropyl-1-methylphenanthrene), a pulp and paper mill derived compound with known dioxin-like toxicity to early life stages of fish, in significant quantities in the water (251-603ngL-1) and sediment (up to 5000ngg-1 dry weight) at several river sites, no correlation was detected of adverse water quality conditions or measured contaminant concentrations to the poor survival of sturgeon among riverine test sites. Histopathology analysis determined that the mortality of the river deployed shortnose sturgeon was likely due to liver and kidney lesions from an unknown agent(s). Given the poor survival of shortnose sturgeon (9%) and high survival of fathead minnows (99.4%) at the riverine test sites, our study indicates that conditions in the Roanoke River are incongruous with the needs of juvenile shortnose sturgeon and that fathead minnows, commonly used standard toxicity test organisms, do not adequately predict the sensitivity of shortnose sturgeon. Therefore, additional research is needed to help identify specific limiting factors and management actions for the enhancement and recovery of this imperiled fish species. Published 2010. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Chronic toxicity of un-ionized ammonia to early life-stages of endangered Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) compared to the surrogate fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fairchild, J.F.; Allert, A.L.; Sappington, L.C.; Waddell, B.

2005-01-01

Ammonia-contaminated groundwater enters the Upper Colorado River from beneath the abandoned Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Pile near Moab, Utah. This reach of the Upper Colorado River was designated as critical habitat for four endangered fish species because it is one of the few existing areas with known spawning and rearing habitats. Un-ionized ammonia (NH3) concentrations frequently exceed 1.00 mg/L in backwaters adjacent to the tailings pile, which exceeds the Utah 30-d average chronic water quality criterion for un-ionized ammonia (0.07 mg/L NH3; temperature 20??C; pH 8.2) by a factor of more than 10. However, there is little published information regarding the sensitivity of endangered fishes to ammonia. We conducted 28-d static renewal studies with post-swim-up larvae to determine the relative sensitivity of Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), and the standard surrogate fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) to NH3. Chronic values (ChVs) for mortality and growth were determined as the geometric mean of the no observed effect concentration and the lowest observed effect concentration based on analysis of variance. The ChVs for growth of fathead minnow, Colorado pikeminnow, and razorback sucker were 0.43, 0.40, and 0.67 mg/L NH3, respectively. The ChVs for mortality of fathead minnow, Colorado pikeminnow, and razorback sucker were 0.43, 0.70, and 0.67 mg/L NH3, respectively. Therefore, the ChVs for mortality and growth were similar for fathead minnow and razorback sucker; however, the ChV for growth was lower than the ChV for mortality for Colorado pikeminnow. Maximum likelihood regression was used to calculate 28-d lethal concentrations (LCx) for each species. The 28-d LC50, LC20, and LC1 values for fathead minnow were 0.69, 0.42, and 0.13 mg/L NH3, respectively. The 28-d LC50, LC20, and LC1 values for Colorado pikeminnow were 0.76, 0.61, and 0.38 mg/L NH3, respectively. The 28-d LC50, LC20, and LC1 values for razorback sucker were 0.54, 0.38, and 0.25 mg/L NH3, respectively. The fathead minnow, Colorado pikeminnow, and razorback sucker are relatively similar in sensitivity and rank at the 35th, 49th, and 31st percentiles, respectively, of the theoretical chronic fish sensitivity distributions for NH3. The existing water quality criteria for NH3, if met by remediation activities at the Moab site, would be protective of these endangered fishes even if fish sensitivity is based on the conservative LC1 value. ?? 2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

Toxicity of oil sands acid-extractable organic fractions to freshwater fish: Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) and Oryzias latipes (Japanese medaka).

PubMed

Bauer, Anthony E; Frank, Richard A; Headley, John V; Peru, Kerry M; Farwell, Andrea J; Dixon, D George

2017-03-01

The Alberta oil sands are one of the largest global petroleum deposits and, due to non-release practices for oil sands process-affected waters, produced tailings are stored in large ponds. The acid extractable organic (AEO) compounds in oil sands process-affected water are of greatest concern due to their persistence and toxicity to a variety of aquatic biota. The present study evaluated the toxicity of the five AEO fractions to two fish species: Oryzias latipes (Japanese medaka) and Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow). The fractions (F1-F5) were comprised of AEO with increasing mean molecular weight and subsequent increases in cyclicity, aromaticity, degree of oxygenation, and heteroatom content. The lowest molecular weight fraction, F1, displayed the lowest acute toxicity to both fish species. For fathead minnow, F5 displayed the greatest toxic potency, while F2 to F4 displayed intermediate toxicities. For Japanese medaka, F2 and F3 displayed the greatest acute toxicities and F1, F4 and F5 were significantly less potent. Overall, fathead minnow were more acutely sensitive to AEO than Japanese medaka. The present study indicates that AEO toxicity may not be solely driven by a narcotic mode of action, but chemical composition such as aromaticity and heteroatom content and their relation to toxicity suggest other drivers indicative of additional modes of toxic action. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The fish embryo toxicity test as a replacement for the larval growth and survival test: A comparison of test sensitivity and identification of alternative endpoints in zebrafish and fathead minnows.

PubMed

Jeffries, Marlo K Sellin; Stultz, Amy E; Smith, Austin W; Stephens, Dane A; Rawlings, Jane M; Belanger, Scott E; Oris, James T

2015-06-01

The fish embryo toxicity (FET) test has been proposed as an alternative to the larval growth and survival (LGS) test. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the sensitivity of the FET and LGS tests in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) and to determine if the inclusion of sublethal metrics as test endpoints could enhance test utility. In both species, LGS and FET tests were conducted using 2 simulated effluents. A comparison of median lethal concentrations determined via each test revealed significant differences between test types; however, it could not be determined which test was the least and/or most sensitive. At the conclusion of each test, developmental abnormalities and the expression of genes related to growth and toxicity were evaluated. Fathead minnows and zebrafish exposed to mock municipal wastewater-treatment plant effluent in a FET test experienced an increased incidence of pericardial edema and significant alterations in the expression of genes including insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2, heat shock protein 70, and cytochrome P4501A, suggesting that the inclusion of these endpoints could enhance test utility. The results not only show the utility of the fathead minnow FET test as a replacement for the LGS test but also provide evidence that inclusion of additional endpoints could improve the predictive power of the FET test. © 2015 SETAC.

Evaluation of several biological monitoring techniques for hazard assessment of potentially contaminated wastewater and groundwater. Volume 3. Old O-field groundwater. Final report, July 1990-December 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burton, D.T.; Turley, S.D.

1992-03-01

The toxicity of contaminated Old O-Field (Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground) groundwater and the reduction and/or elimination of toxicity by various treatment processes were evaluated. The study was divided into a bench scale and pilot scale study. The bench scale studies consisted of 48-h definitive acute toxicity tests run with daphnid neonates (Daphnia magna) and juvenile fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to untreated Old O-Field groundwater and groundwater treated by metals precipitation, UV oxidation (H 2O2 ), carbon adsorption, and carbon adsorption/biological sludge. The pilot scale studies consisted of several 96-h definitive acute toxicity tests run with two freshwatermore » and two saltwater invertebrates and fish and Ames mutagenicity assays. Acute toxicity tests were run on untreated Old O-Field groundwater and groundwater treated by metals precipitation, UV oxidation (H2O2), air stripping, and carbon adsorption during the pilot scale study. The freshwater invertebrate and fish used in the study were daphnid neonates and juvenile fathead minnows, respectively. The saltwater invertebrate and fish were juvenile mysids (Mysidopsis bahia) and juvenile sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus). Ames tests were run on untreated groundwater, UV oxidation-treated groundwater, and carbon-treated groundwater.... Groundwater, Aquatic, Toxicity, Daphnia, Daphnia magna, Fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas, Mysid, Mysidopsis bahia, Sheepshead minnow, Cyprinodon variegatus.« less

Development of a New Technique to Assess Susceptibility to Predation Resulting from Sublethal Stresses (Indirect Mortality)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cada, G.F.

2003-08-25

Fish that pass through a hydroelectric turbine may not be killed directly, but may nonetheless experience sublethal stresses that will increase their susceptibility to predators (indirect mortality). There is a need to develop reliable tests for indirect mortality so that the full consequences of passage through turbines (and other routes around a hydroelectric dam) can be assessed. We evaluated a new technique for assessing indirect mortality, based on a behavioral response to a startling stimulus (akin to perceiving an approaching predator). We compare this technique to the standard predator preference test. The behavioral response is a rapid movement commonly referredmore » to as a startle response, escape response, or C-shape, based on the characteristic body position assumed by the fish. When viewed from above, a startled fish bends into a C-shape, then springs back and swims away in a direction different from its original orientation. This predator avoidance (escape) behavior can be compromised by sublethal stresses that temporarily stun or disorient the fish. We subjected striped shiners and fathead minnows to varying intensities of either turbulence (10-, 20- or 30-min) or 2-min exposures to a fish anesthetic (100 or 200 mg/L of tricaine methanesulfonate), and evaluated their subsequent behavior. Individual fish were given a startle stimulus and filmed with a high-speed video camera. Each fish was startled and filmed twice before being stressed, and then at 1-, 5-, 15-, and 30-min post-exposure. The resulting image files were analyzed for a variety of behavioral measures including: presence of a response, time to first reaction, duration of reaction, time to formation of maximum C-shape, time to completion of C-shape, and completeness of C-shape. The most immediate measure of potential changes in fish behavior was whether stressed fish exhibited a startle response. For striped shiners, the number of fish not responding to the stimulus was significantly different from controls at 1-min post-exposure and for fathead minnows at 1- and 5-min post-exposure. The greatest effects occurred with exposure to the fish anesthetic; in fathead minnows all of the recorded measures were significantly different from controls at 1-min and 5-min post-exposure at the 100 mg/L dose. For striped shiners all recorded behavioral measures were significantly different from controls at 1-min at the 200 and 100 mg/L doses and for selected behavioral measures at 5-min. Turbulence also had significant effects on striped shiner startle responses following 20- and 30-min exposures for all behavioral measures at 1-min. The patterns suggest that any effects on startle response due to turbulence or low doses of anesthetic are short-lived, but can be evaluated using the escape behavior technique. The most useful indication of changes in escape behavior in these tests was the simple reaction/no reaction to the startle stimulus. The startle response occurred reliably among unstressed fish, and was frequently reduced or eliminated in fish exposed to turbulence or anesthesia. The other behavioral parameters observed were often altered by the sublethal stresses as well. A standard predator preference test was also conducted with largemouth bass as the predators and fathead minnows as prey. In this test design, groups of 10 unstressed fish (controls) and 10 stressed fish were put in a tank with a predator. The stressed fathead minnows were exposed to turbulence or fish anesthetic. The predator was allowed to eat half of the prey, and the data were evaluated to determine whether predators consumed greater proportions of stressed minnows than control minnows. The predation test indicated that exposure to MS-222 resulted in significant predation in fathead minnows, but exposure to turbulence did not. This pattern was the same as seen in fathead minnows using the startle response (escape behavior) test. For the sublethal stresses we applied, evaluation of changes in fish escape behavior yielded results comparable to traditional predator preference tests. Because this fish behavior test is simpler and quicker to conduct than predator preference tests, it shows promise as a useful technique for assessing indirect mortality resulting from sublethal stresses.« less

Effects of a glucocorticoid receptor agonist, dexamethasone, on fathead minnow reproduction, growth, and development.

PubMed

LaLone, Carlie A; Villeneuve, Daniel L; Olmstead, Allen W; Medlock, Elizabeth K; Kahl, Michael D; Jensen, Kathleen M; Durhan, Elizabeth J; Makynen, Elizabeth A; Blanksma, Chad A; Cavallin, Jenna E; Thomas, Linnea M; Seidl, Sara M; Skolness, Sarah Y; Wehmas, Leah C; Johnson, Rodney D; Ankley, Gerald T

2012-03-01

Synthetic glucocorticoids are pharmaceutical compounds prescribed in human and veterinary medicine as anti-inflammatory agents and have the potential to contaminate natural watersheds via inputs from wastewater treatment facilities and confined animal-feeding operations. Despite this, few studies have examined the effects of this class of chemicals on aquatic vertebrates. To generate data to assess potential risk to the aquatic environment, we used fathead minnow 21-d reproduction and 29-d embryo-larvae assays to determine reproductive toxicity and early-life-stage effects of dexamethasone. Exposure to 500 µg dexamethasone/L in the 21-d test caused reductions in fathead minnow fecundity and female plasma estradiol concentrations and increased the occurrence of abnormally hatched fry. Female fish exposed to 500 µg dexamethasone/L also displayed a significant increase in plasma vitellogenin protein levels, possibly because of decreased spawning. A decrease in vitellogenin messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression in liver tissue from females exposed to the high dexamethasone concentration lends support to this hypothesis. Histological results indicate that a 29-d embryo-larval exposure to 500 µg dexamethasone/L caused a significant increase in deformed gill opercula. Fry exposed to 500 µg dexamethasone/L for 29 d also exhibited a significant reduction in weight and length compared with control fry. Taken together, these results indicate that nonlethal concentrations of a model glucocorticoid receptor agonist can impair fish reproduction, growth, and development. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Assessing the sublethal effects of in-river concentrations of parameters contributing to cumulative effects in the Athabasca river basin using a fathead minnow bioassay.

PubMed

Squires, Allison J; Dubé, Monique G; Rozon-Ramilo, Lisa D

2013-03-01

The Athabasca River basin, located in Alberta, Canada, covers 157, 000 km(2) and holds significant cultural and economic importance. Recent research assessed changes in several water quality and quantity parameters that have changed both spatially (along the river continuum) and temporally (pre-development and present day) in the Athabasca River Basin. In particular, parameters such as salinity and dissolved sulphate have changed significantly across the Athabasca River mainstem over the past five decades. Further laboratory testing has linked concentrations of these parameters to changes in fathead minnow reproduction. Research is required to determine whether these changes observed in the laboratory can be applied to actual in-river conditions. The objectives of the present study were to twofold: assess changes in fathead minnow response metrics (i.e., condition, liver and gonad size, egg production, and gill histology) associated with increasing concentrations of salinity and dissolved sulphate and determine whether sublethal effect thresholds established in laboratory experiments correspond to actual in-river concentrations using water from the mouth and headwaters of the Athabasca River. Three dose-response experiments (NaCl, SO4, and water sampled from the mouth of the Athabasca River) were conducted at Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. Significant increases in mean eggs per female per day occurred at the 50% treatment for the mouth experiment and thresholds previously developed in the laboratory were verified. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Genomic investigation of year-long and multigenerational exposures of fathead minnow to the munitions compound RDX.

PubMed

Gust, Kurt A; Brasfield, Sandra M; Stanley, Jacob K; Wilbanks, Mitchell S; Chappell, Pornsawan; Perkins, Edward J; Lotufo, Guilherme R; Lance, Richard F

2011-08-01

We assessed the impacts of exposure to an environmentally representative concentration (0.83 mg/L) of the explosive cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) on fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) in one-year and multigenerational bioassays. In the one-year bioassay, impacts were assessed by statistical comparisons of females from breeding groups reared in control or RDX-exposure conditions. The RDX had no significant effect on gonadosomatic index or condition factor assayed at 1 d and at one, three, six, nine, and 12 months. The liver-somatic index was significantly increased versus controls only at the 12-month timepoint. RDX had no significant effect on live-prey capture rates, egg production, or fertilization. RDX caused minimal differential-transcript expression with no consistent discernable effect on gene-functional categories for either brain or liver tissues in the one-year exposure. In the multigenerational assay, the effects of acute (96 h) exposure to RDX were compared in fish reared to the F(2) generation in either control or RDX-exposure conditions. Enrichment of gene functions including neuroexcitatory glutamate metabolism, sensory signaling, and neurological development were observed comparing control-reared and RDX-reared fish. Our results indicated that exposure to RDX at a concentration representing the highest levels observed in the environment (0.83 mg/L) had limited impacts on genomic, individual, and population-level endpoints in fathead minnows in a one-year exposure. However, multigenerational exposures altered transcript expression related to neural development and function. Environ. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

SURROGATE SPECIES IN ASSESSING CONTAMINANT RISK FOR ENDANGERED FISHES

EPA Science Inventory

Rainbow trout, fathead minnows, and sheepshead minnows were tested as surrogate species to assess contaminant risk for 17 endangered fishes and one toad species. Acute toxicity tests were conducted with carbaryl, copper, 4-nonylphenol, pentachlorophenol, and permethrin in accord...

Potential estrogenic effects of wastewaters on gene expression in Pimephales promelas and fish assemblages in streams of southeastern New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldigo, Barry P.; George, Scott D.; Phillips, Patrick J.; Hemming, Joceyln D. C.; Denslow, Nancy D.; Kroll, Kevin J.

2015-01-01

Direct linkages between endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) from municipal and industrial wastewaters and impacts on wild fish assemblages are rare. The levels of plasma vitellogenin (Vtg) and Vtg messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to wastewater effluents and dilutions of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), estrogen activity, and fish assemblages in 10 receiving streams were assessed to improve understanding of important interrelations. Results from 4-d laboratory assays indicate that EE2, plasma Vtg concentration, and Vtg gene expression in fathead minnows, and 17β-estradiol equivalents (E2Eq values) were highly related to each other (R2 = 0.98–1.00). Concentrations of E2Eq in most effluents did not exceed 2.0 ng/L, which was possibly a short-term exposure threshold for Vtg gene expression in male fathead minnows. Plasma Vtg in fathead minnows only increased significantly (up to 1136 μg/mL) in 2 wastewater effluents. Fish assemblages were generally unaffected at 8 of 10 study sites, yet the density and biomass of 79% to 89% of species populations were reduced (63–68% were reduced significantly) in the downstream reach of 1 receiving stream. These results, and moderate to high E2Eq concentrations (up to 16.1 ng/L) observed in effluents during a companion study, suggest that estrogenic wastewaters can potentially affect individual fish, their populations, and entire fish communities in comparable systems across New York, USA. 

A new bacilliform fathead minnow rhabdovirus that produces syncytia in tissue culture.

PubMed

Iwanowicz, L R; Goodwin, A E

2002-05-01

A pathogenic bacilliform virus 130-180 nm in length and 31-47 nm in diameter was isolated from moribund fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exhibiting hemorrhages in their eyes and skin. A cytopathic effect of multifocal syncytia was observed in the epithelioma papulosum cyprini cell line after a 48 h incubation at 20 degrees C. A similar cytopathic effect was also observed in other cell lines tested, but not in bluegill fry, koi fin, or Chinook salmon embryo cells. The filterable agent was inactivated by exposure to 50 degrees C for 10 min, 20% ether, 2 and 50% chloroform, pH 3, and pH 10, was unaffected by 5'-iodo-2 deoxyuridine, and appeared bacilliform and occasionally bullet-shaped by electron microscopy. These results are consistent with those of rhabdoviruses. Immunodot blots performed with antisera against selected fish rhabdoviruses, an aquareovirus, and a birnavirus were all negative. River's postulates were fulfilled in fathead minnows, but the agent did not replicate or cause disease in other cyprinids or salmonids during challenge experiments. Hepatic, splenic, and renal lesions were observed during histological analysis of diseased fish from viral challenges and from the original case. Structural proteins resolved via SDS-PAGE had molecular weights similar to those reported in lyssaviruses of the family Rhabdoviridae; however, syncytia formation is not a typical cytopathic effect of rhabdoviruses. This virus, has tentatively been named the fathead minnow rhabdovirus (FHMRV) and is most similar to the members of the family Rhabdoviridae, but atypical properties like syncytia formation may justify the assignment to a novel taxon.

Reproductive responses in fathead minnow and Japanese medaka following exposure to a synthetic progestin, Norethindrone.

PubMed

Paulos, Peter; Runnalls, Tamsin J; Nallani, Gopi; La Point, Tom; Scott, Alexander P; Sumpter, John P; Huggett, Duane B

2010-08-15

Synthetic progestins, such as Norethindrone (NET), are common ingredients in oral contraceptives and in treatment for post-menopausal problems. Given the widespread use of oral contraceptives and post-menopausal treatments, several reports have targeted and identified progestins in aquatic environments. In fish, progestins play an important role in the stimulation of oocyte final maturation and ovulation in females, stimulation of spermiation and sperm motility in males, and the initiation of meiosis in both sexes. They also have a role as pheromones in some species. Given the pivotal role that progestins play in reproduction, their appreciable daily dose (i.e. microg to mg range in contraceptives and hormone replacement therapies) and continuous use pattern, it is important to understand the potential risk these compounds pose once discharged into the aquatic environment. Since little published data are available on this class of compounds, our research focused on the reproductive effects of NET on the fathead minnow and Japanese medaka. A 28 day static-renewal reproduction study with Japanese medaka indicated that NET produces a significant decrease in fecundity at aqueous concentrations >or=25 ng/L. A 21 day flow-though fathead minnow reproduction study also demonstrated that NET causes a significant decrease in fecundity in the low ng/L range. Fathead minnow morphological changes (i.e. female fin spots) suggest that NET exposure may have a potent androgenic effect on fish; however, plasma 11-Ketotestosterone (11-KT) concentrations were reduced in males at the highest exposure concentration. Collectively, these data indicate that further investigation of reproductive responses associated with synthetic progestins is warranted.

Adaptive Response in Female Modeling of the Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal Axis

EPA Science Inventory

Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals can affect reproduction and development in both humans and wildlife. We are developing a mechanistic computational model of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in female fathead minnows to predict dose-response and time-course ...

Effects of underwater noise on auditory sensitivity of a cyprinid fish.

PubMed

Scholik, A R; Yan, H Y

2001-02-01

The ability of a fish to interpret acoustic information in its environment is crucial for its survival. Thus, it is important to understand how underwater noise affects fish hearing. In this study, the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) was used to examine: (1) the immediate effects of white noise exposure (0.3-4.0 kHz, 142 dB re: 1 microPa) on auditory thresholds and (2) recovery after exposure. Audiograms were measured using the auditory brainstem response protocol and compared to baseline audiograms of fathead minnows not exposed to noise. Immediately after exposure to 24 h of white noise, five out of the eight frequencies tested showed a significantly higher threshold compared to the baseline fish. Recovery was found to depend on both duration of noise exposure and auditory frequency. These results support the hypothesis that the auditory threshold of the fathead minnow can be altered by white noise, especially in its most sensitive hearing range (0.8-2.0 kHz), and provide evidence that these effects can be long term (>14 days).

Static renewal tests using Pimephales promelas (fathead minnows) and Ceriodaphnia dubia (daphnids). Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) study, ambient water toxicity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

1994-12-31

Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) personnel and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) personnel conducted a study during the week of January 25--February 1, 1994. The organisms specified for testing were larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Surface water samples were collected from Clinch River Mile 9.0, Poplar Creek Mile 1.0, and Poplar Creek Mile 2.9 on January 24, 26, and 28. Samples were partitioned and provided to the CR-ERP and TVA toxicology laboratories for testing. Exposure of test organisms to these samples resulted in no toxicity (survival or growth) to fathead minnows; however, toxicity to daphnids wasmore » demonstrated in undiluted samples from Poplar Creek Mile 1.0 in testing conducted by TVA based on hypothesis testing of data. Point estimation (IC{sub 25}) analysis of the data, however, showed no toxicity in PCM 1.0 samples. Attachments to this report include: Chain of custody forms -- originals; Toxicity test bench sheets and statistical analyses; Meter calibrations; and Reference toxicant test information.« less

Oxygen flux as an indicator of physiological stress in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryos: a real-time biomonitoring system of water quality.

PubMed

Sanchez, Brian C; Ochoa-Acuña, Hugo; Porterfield, D Marshall; Sepúlveda, María S

2008-09-15

The detection of harmful chemicals and biological agents in real time is a critical need for protecting freshwater ecosystems. We studied the real-time effects of five environmental contaminants with differing modes of action (atrazine, cadmium chloride, pentachlorophenol, malathion, and potassium cyanide) on respiratory oxygen consumption in 2-day postfertilization fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) eggs. Our objective was to assess the sensitivity of fathead minnow eggs using the self-referencing micro-optrode technique to detect instantaneous changes in oxygen consumption after brief exposures to low concentrations of contaminants. Oxygen consumption data indicated that the technique is indeed sensitive enough to reliably detect physiological alterations induced by four of the five contaminants. After 2 h of exposure, we identified significant increases in oxygen consumption upon exposure to pentachlorophenol (100 and 1000 microg/L), cadmium chloride (0.0002 and 0.002 microg/L), and atrazine (150 microg/L). In contrast, we observed a significant decrease in oxygen flux after exposuresto potassium cyanide (44 and 66 microg/L) and atrazine (1500 microg/L). No effects were detected after exposures to malathion (200 and 340 microg/L). Our work is the first step in development of a new technique for physiologically coupled biomonitoring as a sensitive and reliable tool for the detection of environmental toxicants.

Developing Predictive Approaches to Characterize Adaptive Responses of the Reproductive Endocrine Axis to Aromatase Inhibition II: Computational Modeling

EPA Science Inventory

ABSTRACT Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals can affect reproduction and development in both humans and wildlife. We developed a mechanistic mathematical model of the hypothalamic­ pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in female fathead minnows to predic...

Developing Predictive Approaches to Characterize Adaptive Responses of the Reproductive Endocrine Axis to Aromatase Inhibition: Computational Modeling

EPA Science Inventory

Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals can affect reproduction and development in both humans and wildlife. We developed a mechanistic mathematical model of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in female fathead minnows to predict dose-response and time-course (DRTC)...

High diet overlap between native small-bodied fishes and nonnative fathead minnow in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seegert, Sarah E. Zahn; Rosi-Marshall, Emma J.; Baxter, Colden V.; Kennedy, Theodore A.; Hall, Robert O.; Cross, Wyatt F.

2014-01-01

River regulation may mediate the interactions among native and nonnative species, potentially favoring nonnative species and contributing to the decline of native populations. We examined food resource use and diet overlap among small-bodied fishes in the Grand Canyon section of the Colorado River as a first step in evaluating potential resource competition. We compared the diets of the predominant small-bodied fishes (native Speckled Dace Rhinichthys osculus, juvenile Flannelmouth Sucker Catostomus latipinnis, and juvenile Bluehead Sucker C. discobolus, and nonnative Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas) across seasons at four sites downstream of Glen Canyon Dam using nonmetric multidimensional scaling and Schoener's similarity index. The diets of these fishes included diatoms, amorphous detritus, aquatic invertebrates (especially simuliid and chironomid larvae), terrestrial invertebrates, and terrestrial vegetation. Diets varied with season and were affected by high turbidity. Fish consumed more amorphous detritus and terrestrial vegetation during the summer monsoon season (July–September), when turbidity was higher. The diets of all species overlapped, but there was large variation in the degree of overlap. The diets of juvenile suckers and Fathead Minnows were most similar, while Speckled Dace had relatively distinct diets. The differences took the form of higher proportions of diatoms and amorphous detritus in the diets of Bluehead Suckers and Fathead Minnows and higher proportions of simuliids and chironomids in those of Speckled Dace. If food resources are or become limiting, diet overlap suggests that competition may occur among native and nonnative species, which could have implications for the population dynamics of these fishes and for the management of the Colorado River ecosystem in Grand Canyon.

Evaluation of the methoxytriazine herbicide prometon using a short-term fathead minnow reproduction test and a suite of in vitro bioassays.

PubMed

Villeneuve, Daniel L; Murphy, Margaret B; Kahl, Michael D; Jensen, Kathleen M; Butterworth, Brian C; Makynen, Elizabeth A; Durhan, Elizabeth J; Linnum, Ann; Leino, Richard L; Curtis, Lawrence R; Giesy, John P; Ankley, Gerald T

2006-08-01

Prometon is one of the most consistently detected herbicides in the U.S. environment. However, no previous assessment of the potential for prometon or related methoxytriazine herbicides to act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals has been conducted. This study used an array of in vitro bioassays to assess whether prometon, atraton, terbumeton, or secbumeton might act as potent (ant)agonists of the aryl hydrocarbon, estrogen, androgen, or glucocorticoid receptors or as aromatase inhibitors or inducers in vitro. Potential effects of prometon were also evaluated using a 21-d fathead minnow reproduction assay. Concentrations of methoxytriazines, as great as 1 mg/L (4.4 microM), did not induce significant dioxin-like responses in H4IIE-luc cells, estrogenic responses in MVLN cells, or androgen or glucocorticoid receptor-mediated responses in MDA-kb2 cells, nor did the methoxytriazines significantly affect aromatase activity in vitro. In the fathead minnow assay, exposure to 20, 200, or 1,000 microg prometon/L significantly reduced the weight of the male fat pad (an androgen-responsive tissue) relative to body weight. Exposure to 20 microg prometon/L significantly increased female plasma testosterone concentrations, but the effect was not observed at greater concentrations. Overall, prometon did not significantly reduce fecundity over the 21-d exposure, nor were other endpoints, including plasma vitellogenin and estradiol concentrations, brain and ovary aromatase activity, and male tubercle index, significantly affected. Evidence from our work suggests that prometon may cause subtle endocrine and/or reproductive effects in fathead minnows, but no clear mechanism of action was observed. The relevance of these effects to hazard assessment for the pesticide is uncertain.

Extended fish short term reproduction assays with the fathead minnow and Japanese medaka: No evidence of impaired fecundity from exposure to atrazine.

PubMed

Brain, Richard A; Schneider, Suzanne Z; Anderson, Julie C; Knopper, Loren D; Wolf, Jeffrey C; Hanson, Mark L

2018-08-01

Short-term reproduction assays were conducted with fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) to evaluate responses from atrazine exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations and above. Breeding groups of fish with multiple males and females were exposed to atrazine under flow-through conditions. Fathead minnows were exposed to mean measured concentrations of 1.0, 10, 26, 52, and 105 μg atrazine/L for 28 days. Medaka were exposed to mean measured concentrations of 9.4, 48, 74, 97, and 244 μg atrazine/L for 28 or 29 days. Fish were evaluated for survival, fecundity, fertility, total length, wet weight, secondary sex characteristics, gonadosomatic index (GSI) (P. promelas only), plasma or hepatic vitellogenin (VTG), and histopathology of gonads. General observations of health and behaviour were also conducted. There were no statistically significant effects (i.e., p < 0.05) of atrazine on survival, size, reproduction, behaviour, GSI, VTG, or secondary sex characteristics in either species at any exposure level. In fathead minnows, there were no histopathological findings associated with atrazine exposure in male fish, but there was an increased proportion of Stage 4.0 ovaries accompanied by an increase in proportion of Grade 3 post-ovulatory follicles in females of the 105 μg/L treatment group. Without a concomitant increase in oocyte atresia, neither of these findings are considered adverse for the health of the fish. In medaka, there were no significant effects of atrazine exposure on histopathology in either sex. These data support current weight-of-evidence assessments that atrazine does not cause direct adverse effects on fish reproduction at environmentally realistic concentrations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of endocrine disruptor screening program fish short-term reproduction assay: Reproduction and endocrine function in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) exposed to Bermuda pond sediment.

PubMed

Fort, Douglas J; Mathis, Michael; Fort, Chelsea E; Fort, Hayley M; Bacon, Jamie P

2015-06-01

A modified tier 1 Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) 21-d fish short-term reproduction assay (FSTRA) was used to evaluate the effects of sediment exposure from freshwater and brackish ponds in Bermuda on reproductive fecundity and endocrine function in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus). Reproductively active male and female fish were exposed to control sediment and sediment from 2 freshwater ponds (fathead minnow) and 2 marine ponds (killifish) contaminated with polyaromatic hydrocarbons and metals via flow-through exposure for 21 d. Reproductive fecundity was monitored daily. At termination, the status of the reproductive endocrine system was assessed by the gonadosomatic index, gonadal histology, plasma steroids (estrogen [E2], testosterone [T], and 11-ketotestosterone [11-KT]), steroidogenic enzymes (aromatase and combined 3β/17β -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase [3β/17β-HSD]), and plasma vitellogenin (VTG). Decreased reproductive fecundity, lower male body weight, and altered endocrinological measures of reproductive status were observed in both species. Higher plasma T levels in female minnows and 11-KT levels in both male and female minnows and female killifish exposed to freshwater and brackish sediments, respectively. Decreased female E2 and VTG levels and gonadal cytochrome P19 (aromatase) activity were also found in sediment exposed females from both species. No effect on female 3β/17β-HSD activity was found in either species. The FSTRA provided a robust model capable of modification to evaluate reproductive effects of sediment exposure in fish. © 2015 SETAC.

Molecular Endpoints and Mixtures of EDCs in Fish

EPA Science Inventory

Microarray technology is a relatively novel tool in ecotoxicology and is beginning to be used for exposure and/or hazard characterization for ecological risk assessment. To develop a basis for this type of analysis, fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were treated with two bin...

ACCUMULATION AND EFFECTS OF PFOS ON THE REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE FATHEAD MINNOW

EPA Science Inventory

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a globally-distributed contaminant in fish and wildlife. Comparatively little is known, however, concerning potential adverse effects of PFOS on reproduction and development of fish. There is some indication that PFOS could affect reproductive ...

EVALUATION OF METHOXYCHLOR AS AN ENDOCRINE DISRUPTOR IN FATHEAD MINNOWS (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

Recent concerns over the possible effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on humans and wildlife has resulted in considerable interest in environmental contaminants that adversely affect aspects of sexual reproduction and early development. The U.S. Environmental Protect...

ECOTOXICOGENOMICS: EXPOSURE INDICATORS USING ESTS AND SUBTRACTIVE LIBRARIES FOR MULTI-LIFE STAGES OF PIMEPHALES

EPA Science Inventory

Ecotoxicogenomics is research that identifies patterns of gene expression in wildlife and predicts effects of environmental stressors. We are developing a multiple stressor, multiple life stage exposure model using the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), initially studying fou...

The Effects of Endocrine Disruptors on Steroidogenesis Gene Expression Dynamics in Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Steroid hormones play key roles in regulating reproduction and development and fish and other vertebrates. This presentation reports results from two in vitro experiments aimed characterizing the dynamics of transcriptional and metabolomic responses to endocrine disrupting chemi...

Impaired anterior swim bladder inflation following exposure to the thyroid peroxidase inhibitor 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole Part I: Fathead minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Development of adverse outcome pathways linking specific chemical-induced pathway perturbations to adverse outcomes relevant to regulatory decision-making has potential to support the development of alternatives to traditional whole organism toxicity tests, such as the fish early...

Crafting a gene expression timeline for the thyroid in the early-life stages of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

The hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis plays a number of critical roles in chordate physiology including regulation of metabolism, growth, and development. While the role of the HPT axis and thyroid hormone signaling in mammalian and amphibian development is well establis...

EFFECTS OF HANDLING ON ENDOCRINOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

A short-term (21-d) reproductive toxicity test with the fatheadt minnow (Pimephales promelas) has been proposed as a standard method for identifying certain classes of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). A potentially useful route of chemical exposure for the test is intraperi...

An evaluation of germline mutations and reproductive impacts in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) exposed to contaminated sediment.

PubMed

Miller, Jason L; Sherry, Jim; Parrott, Joanne; Quinn, James S

2018-06-18

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have become ubiquitous in the aquatic environment. Some PAHs are mutagenic, potentially causing germline mutations in fish that inhabit PAH contaminated waters. We evaluated the effect of exposure to sediment-borne PAHs on reproduction and germline mutation rates in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Exposure to the contaminated sediment had no significant impact on the reproductive endpoints measured in this study. Germline mutations rates at three microsatellite DNA loci were 1.69 × 10 -3 in fish exposed to PAH-contaminated sediment and 0.55 × 10 -3 in control fish, with zero mutations being observed in fish exposed to sediment from a reference site. While the difference in mutation rates between treatments was not statistically significant for the sample size used (15-19 families per treatment), the observed mutations rates enabled us to estimate the sample size required to detect a significant effect. To our knowledge, this is the first report of germline mutation rates in fathead minnow exposed to an environmental contaminant, providing baseline data for use in the design of future experiments. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinch River - Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) study, ambient water toxicity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

1997-06-01

Clinch River - Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) personnel and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) personnel conducted a study during the week of April 14-21, 1994, as described in the Statement of Work (SOW) document. The organisms specified for testing were larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Surface water samples were collected by TVA Field Engineering personnel from Poplar Creek Mile 4.3, Poplar Creek Mile 5.1, and Poplar Creek Mile 6.0 on April 13, 15, and 18. Samples were partitioned (split) and provided to the CR-ERP and TVA toxicology laboratories for testing. Exposure of test organisms to thesemore » samples resulted in no toxicity (survival or growth) to daphnids in undiluted samples; however, toxicity to fathead minnows (significantly reduced survival) was demonstrated in undiluted samples from Poplar Creek Miles 4.3 and 6.0 in testing conducted by TVA based on hypothesis testing of data. Daphnid reproduction was significantly less than controls in 50 percent dilutions of samples from Poplar Creek Miles 4.3 and 6.0, while no toxicity to fathead minnows was shown in diluted (50 percent) samples.« less

Impacts of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid aquatic herbicide formulations on reproduction and development of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

DeQuattro, Zachary A; Karasov, William H

2016-06-01

The authors studied the effects of 2 formulations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dimethylamine salt (2,4-D) herbicide on fathead minnow reproduction, embryonic development, and larval survival. Groups of reproductively mature fathead minnows were exposed for 28 d to 0.00 ppm, 0.05 ppm, 0.50 ppm, and 2.00 ppm 2,4-D (target) in a flow-through system. Weedestroy® AM40 significantly (p ≤ 0.05) depressed male tubercle presence and significantly increased female gonadosomatic index, and there were statistical trends (0.05 ≤ p ≤ 0.10) for effects on fecundity and hepatic vitellogenin mRNA expression in females and males. The herbicide DMA® 4 IVM also significantly depressed male tubercle presence. Gonads of females exposed to DMA 4 IVM exhibited significantly depressed stage of oocyte maturation, significantly increased severity of oocyte atresia, and a significant presence of an unidentified tissue type. Also, DMA 4 IVM significantly decreased larval survival. It had no impact on hepatic vitellogenin mRNA expression or gonadosomatic index. No significant effects on fertilization, hatchability, or embryonic development were observed in either trial. The formulations tested exhibited different toxicological profiles from pure 2,4-D. These data suggest that the formulations have the potential for endocrine disruption and can exert some degree of chronic toxicity. The present use of 2,4-D formulations in lake management practices and their permitting based on the toxicological profile of 2,4-D pure compound should be reconsidered. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1478-1488. © 2015 SETAC. © 2015 SETAC.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRAIN AND OVARY AROMATASE ACTIVITY AND ISOFORM-SPECIFIC AROMATASE MRNA EXPRESSION IN THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

There is growing evidence that some chemicals present in the environment have the capacity to inhibit, or potentially induce, aromatase activity. This study compared aromatase activities and isoform-specific mRNA expression in brain and ovary tissue from non-exposed fathead min...

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRAIN AND OVARY AROMATASE ACTIVITY AND ISOFORM-SPECIFIC AROMATASE MRNA EXPRESSION IN THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) - JOURNAL ARTICLE

EPA Science Inventory

There is growing evidence that some chemicals present in the environment have the capacity to inhibit, or potentially induce, aromatase activity. This study compared aromatase activities and isoform-specific mRNA expression in brain and ovary tissue from non-exposed fathead minn...

Effects of a Glucocorticoid Receptor Agonist, Dexamethasone, on Fathead Minnow Reproduction and Development

EPA Science Inventory

Few studies have examined the effects of synthetic glucocorticoids on the reproductive axis of fish, despite the fact that these chemicals are therapeutically prescribed anti-inflammatory agents that are abundantly produced and consumed. To generate data to assess potential risk ...

Investigation of adaptive responses in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to the model aromatase inhibitor fadrozole

EPA Science Inventory

The vertebrate hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis is a highly dynamic system, which, through various feedback mechanisms, strives to maintain physiological conditions conducive to reproduction even in potentially stressful situations. The development of useful predictive m...

Effects of Sediment Containing Coal Ash from the Kingston Ash Release on Embryo-Larval Development in the Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas (Rafinesque, 1820)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greeley Jr, Mark Stephen; Elmore, Logan R; McCracken, Kitty

2014-01-01

The largest environmental release of coal ash in U.S. history occurred in December 2008 with the failure of a retention structure at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston Fossil Plant in East Tennessee. A byproduct of coal-burning power plants, coal ash is enriched in metals and metalloids such as selenium and arsenic with known toxicity to fish including embryonic and larval stages. The effects of contact exposure to sediments containing up to 78 % coal ash from the Kingston spill on the early development of fish embryos and larvae were examined in 7-day laboratory tests with the fathead minnow (Pimephalesmore » promelas). No significant effects were observed on hatching success, incidences of gross developmental abnormalities, or embryo-larval survival. Results suggest that direct exposures to sediment containing residual coal ash from the Kingston ash release may not present significant risks to fish eggs and larvae in waterways affected by the spill.« less

Characterization of early gonadal development in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and effects of ethinyl estradiol on gonadal differentiation

EPA Science Inventory

Teleosts vary widely in patterns of gonadal sex differentiation, which might lead to differences in how gonadal development is affected by the presence of estrogenic compounds. This makes it difficult to apply our knowledge of model species such as medaka and fathead minnow to o...

EVALUATION OF FADROZOLE AS AN ENDOCRINE DISRUPTOR IN FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA has received a legislative mandate to develop and implement standardized screening and testing methods to identify and assess potential endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The objective of this research was to evaluate a short-term EDC screening/testing assay which ass...

A SHORT TERM REPRODUCTION TEST WITH THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS): LL. METHOD EVALUATION

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is required to develop, validate, and implement a screening program for identifying potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The objective of this research was to evaluate the recommended short term test which assesses alterations in repr...

Effects of a Glucocorticoid Receptor Agonist, Dexamethasone, on Fathead Minnow Reproduction, Growth, and Development.

EPA Science Inventory

Few studies have examined the effects of synthetic glucocorticoids on the reproductive axis of fish, despite the fact that these chemicals are therapeutically prescribed anti-inflammatory agents that are abundantly produced and consumed. To generate data to assess potential risk ...

Effects of a real-time exposure to an estrogenic effluent on reproduction in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are a well-established point of convergence through which anthropogenic chemicals enter surface waters. Whole effluent testing guidelines were developed to screen these complex mixtures for acute toxicity. However, effects-based approac...

Hormone Binding to Recombinant Estrogen Receptors from Human, Alligator, Quail, Salamander, and Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

In this work, a 96-well plate estrogen receptor binding assay was developed to facilitate the direct comparison of chemical binding to full-length recombinant estrogen receptors across vertebrate classes. Receptors were generated in a baculovirus expression system. This approach ...

Parasites and a host's sense of smell: reduced chemosensory performance of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) infected with a monogenean parasite.

PubMed

Lari, Ebrahim; Goater, Cameron P; Cone, David K; Pyle, Greg G

2017-05-01

Parasites residing within the central nervous system of their hosts have the potential to reduce various components of host performance, but such effects are rarely evaluated. We assessed the olfactory acuity of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) infected experimentally with the monogenean Dactylogyrus olfactorius, the adults of which live within the host's olfactory chambers. Olfactory acuity was compared between infected and uninfected hosts by assessing electro-olfactography (EOG) neural responses to chemical stimuli that indicate the presence of food (L-alanine) or the presence of conspecifics (taurocholic acid). We also compared differences in gross morphology of the olfactory epithelium in infected and uninfected minnows. Differences in EOG responses between infected and uninfected minnows to both cue types were non-significant at 30 days post-exposure. By days 60 and 90, coincident with a two times increase in parasite intensity in the olfactory chambers, the EOG responses of infected minnows were 70-90% lower than controls. When infected fish were treated with a parasiticide (Prazipro), olfactory acuity returned to control levels by day 7 post-treatment. The observed reduction in olfactory acuity is best explained by the reduced density of cilia covering the olfactory chambers of infected fish, or by the concomitant increase in the density of mucous cells that cover the olfactory chambers. These morphological changes are likely due to the direct effects of attachment and feeding by individual worms or by indirect effects associated with host responses. Our results show that infection of a commonly occurring monogenean in fathead minnows reduces olfactory acuity. Parasite-induced interference with olfactory performance may reduce a fish's ability to detect, or respond to, chemical cues originating from food, predators, competitors or mates. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2017 British Ecological Society.

Behind the scene with the fathead team: Part III. Molecular, biochemical, and in vitro analyses

EPA Science Inventory

As part of a research team focused on aquatic toxicity testing using fathead minnows as a model species, this presentation is the third in the three-part series, giving an overview of the types of field and laboratory studies as well as sample processing our team conducts at the ...

Quantitative (q)AOP for aromatase inhibition as case study to advance qAOP development practices

EPA Science Inventory

Here we describe how “read across” of a quantitative adverse outcome pathway (qAOP) developed with data for one chemical can be used to screen impacts of other chemicals. We developed a qAOP starting with inhibition of CYP19A (aromatase) in fathead minnows (FHM) as th...

Hypothesis testing with computational modeling: linking aromatase inhibition with plasma vitellogenin dynamics in fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Fadrozole inhibits aromatase (CYP19A), a key enzyme that converts testosterone to estradiol (E2). In fish, E2 concentrations control hepatic synthesis ofthe glycolipoprotein vitellogenin (VTG), an egg yolk precursor protein essential to oocyte development and larval survival. Whe...

Predicting modes of toxic action from chemical structure

EPA Science Inventory

Like many of the papers in the ET&C top 100 list, the development of the fathead minnow database and the assignment of modes of action to the 617 chemicals therein was the result of a comprehensive research effort by a multidisciplinary team of researchers with expertise in quant...

Modeling a molecular initiating event to population effects: A case study of aromatase inhibition in fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

An adverse outcome pathway (AOP) conceptually links a molecular initiating event with measureable key events at higher levels of biological organization that ultimately result in an adverse outcome. Development of an AOP requires experimental data and scientific expertise to ide...

EFFECTS OF THE MAMMALIAN ANTIANDROGEN VINCLOZOLIN ON DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION OF THE FATHEAD MINNOW

EPA Science Inventory

Previous work with the chlorinated fungicide vinclozolin and its metabolites, 2-{[(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-carbamoyl]oxy}-2-methyl-3-butenoic acid (M1) and 3',5'-dichloro-2-hydroxy-2-methylbut-3-enanilide (M2), indicated antiandrogenic properties expressed in vivo as abnormalities in...

Gene Expression Responses in Male Fathead Minnows Exposed to Binary Mixtures of an Estrogen and Antiestrogen

EPA Science Inventory

Aquatic organisms are continuously exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals, many of which can interfere with their endocrine system, resulting in impaired reproduction, development or survival, among others. In order to analyze the effects and mechanisms of action of estrogen...

FATHEAD MINNOW VITELLOGENIN: COMPLEMENTARY DNA SEQUENCE AND MESSENGER RNA AND PROTEIN EXPRESSION AFTER 17B-ESTRADIOL TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Induction of vitellogenin (VTG) in oviparous animals has been proposed as a sensitive indicator of invironmental contaminants that activate the estrogen receptor. In the present study, a sensitive ribonuclease protection assay (RPA) for VTG messenger RNA (mRNA) was developed for ...

Gene transcription ontogeny of thyroid-axis development in early-life stage fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Disruption of thyroid hormone signaling is a form of endocrine disruption that is of concern to both human health and ecosystems. Research is being conducted to define the biological targets chemicals may interact with to disrupt thyroid hormone signaling and the stages in develo...

QUANTIFICATION AND ASSOCIATED VARIABILITY OF INDUCED VITELLOGENIN GENE TRANSCRIPTS IN FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) BY QUANTITATIVE REAL-TIME POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION ASSAY

EPA Science Inventory

Ecological risk assessors have a growing need for sensitive and rapid indicators of environmental exposure in aquatic ecosystems resulting from natural and synthetic estrogen-like compounds. Investigators developing subcellular exposure markers in traditional sentinel organisms m...

Identification of Androgen Receptor Antagonists in Fish Using a Simple Bioassay with the Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas .

EPA Science Inventory

Considerable effort has been expended on the development of bioassays to detect chemicals that affect endocrine function controlled by the vertebrate hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis via different mechanisms/modes of action (MOA). Antagonism of the androgen receptor (AR)...

A SHORT-TERM REPRODUCTIVE TEST WITH THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

Due to the time and expense associated with full life-cycle testing, most current toxicity tests with fish do not explicity consider reproductive output as an endpoint but, rather, focus on early life-stage survival and development. However, there are classes of chemicals that co...

A SHORT-TERM REPRODUCTION TEST WITH THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS): L METHODS DESCRIPTION

EPA Science Inventory

Due to the time and expense associated with full life-cycle testing, most current toxicity tests with fish do not explicity consider reproductive output as an endpoint but, rather, focus on early life-stage survival and development. However, there are classes of chemicals that co...

A PHYSIOLOGICALLY BASED COMPUTATIONAL MODEL OF THE BPG AXIS IN FATHEAD MINNOWS: PREDICTING EFFECTS OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICAL EXPOSURE ON REPRODUCTIVE ENDPOINTS

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation describes development and application of a physiologically-based computational model that simulates the brain-pituitary-gonadal (BPG) axis and other endpoints important in reproduction such as concentrations of sex steroid hormones, 17-estradiol, testosterone, a...

MEETING IN PORTUGAL: LINKAGE OF EXPOSURE AND EFFECTS USING GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS AND METABOLOMICS IN SMALL FISH MODELS

EPA Science Inventory

With an interdisciplinary team of scientists from U.S. Government Agencies and Universities, we are utilizing zebrafish and fathead minnow to develop techniques for extrapolation of chemical stressor impacts across species, chemicals and endpoints. The linkage of responses acros...

Development of a Computational Model for Female Fathead Minnows exposed to Two Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (e.g., estrogens and androgens) are known to affect reproductive functions in fish. A synthetic estrogen used in birth control pills, 17á-ethynylestradiol (EE2), is discharged from wastewater treatment plants into water bodies throughout the United ...

Predation on larval suckers in the Williamson River Delta revealed by molecular genetic assays—A pilot study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hereford, Danielle M.; Ostberg, Carl O.; Burdick, Summer M.

2016-06-13

Predation of endangered Lost River suckers (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose suckers (Chasmistes brevirostris) during larval egress to Upper Klamath Lake from the Williamson River is poorly understood but may be an important factor limiting recruitment into adult spawning populations. Native and non-native piscivores are abundant in nursery wetland habitat, but larval predation has not been directly studied for all species. Larvae lack hard body structures and digest rapidly in predator digestive systems. Therefore, traditional visual methods for diet analysis may fail to identify the extent of predation on larvae. The goals of this study were to (1) use quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays developed for Lost River and shortnose suckers to assay predator stomach contents for sucker DNA, and (2) to assess our ability to use this technique to study predation. Predators were captured opportunistically during larval sucker egress. Concurrent feeding trials indicate that most predators—yellow perch (Perca flaverscens), fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), blue chub (Gila coerulea), Klamath tui chub (Siphatales bicolor bicolor), Klamath Lake sculpin (Cottus princeps), slender sculpin (Cottus tenuis)—preyed on sucker larvae in the laboratory. However, sucker DNA was not detected in fathead minnow stomachs. Of the stomachs screened from fish captured in the Williamson River Delta, 15.6 percent of yellow perch contained sucker DNA. This study has demonstrated that the application of qPCR and SNP assays is effective for studying predation on larval suckers. We suggest that techniques associated with dissection or detection of sucker DNA from fathead minnow stomachs need improvement.

Acute toxicity of firefighting chemical formulations to four life stages of fathead minnow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gaikowski, Mark P.; Hamilton, Steve J.; Buhl, Kevin J.; McDonald, Susan F.; Summers, Cliff H.

1996-01-01

Laboratory studies were conducted with four early life stages of fathead minnow,Pimephales promelas,to determine the acute toxicity of five firefighting chemical formulations in standardized soft and hard water. Egg, fry, 30-day posthatch, and 60-day posthatch life stages were tested with three fire retardants (Fire-Trol GTS-R, Fire-Trol LCG-R, and Phos-Chek D75-F) and two fire-suppressant foams (Phos-Chek WD-881 and Ansul Silv-Ex). Fry were generally the most sensitive life stage tested, whereas the eggs were the least sensitive life stage. Formulation toxicity was greater in hard water than in soft water for all life stages tested. Fire-suppressant foams were more toxic than the fire retardants. The 96-hr LC50s derived for fathead minnows were rank ordered from the most toxic to the least toxic formulation as follows: Phos-Chek WD-881 (13a??32 mg/liter) > Silv-Ex (19a??32 mg/liter) > Fire-Trol GTS-R (135a??787 mg/liter) > Phos-Chek D75-F (168a??2250 mg/liter) > Fire-Trol LCG-R (519a??6705 mg/liter) (ranges are the lowest and highest 96-hr LC50for each formulation). (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.

Determining the effects of a mixture of an endocrine disrupting compound, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and ammonia on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproduction.

PubMed

Armstrong, Brandon M; Lazorchak, James M; Murphy, Cheryl A; Haring, Herman J; Jensen, Kathleen M; Smith, Mark E

2015-02-01

Aquatic organisms are exposed to a multitude of contaminants and to fully understand the impact of multiple stressors on fish populations, we must first understand the mechanism of action for each toxicant and how the combined effects manifest at the level of the individual. 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) has been known to cause adverse reproductive effects including reduced fecundity and fertility, intersex and skewed sex ratios in fish by mimicking naturally produced estrogen at low concentrations. Ammonia can cause adverse reproductive and mortality effects in individual fish through effects or damage to the central nervous system. Both EE2 and ammonia are found in most municipal effluents in various concentrations. A flow-through diluter system was used to test the individual effects of these two contaminants at their respective no observable adverse effect concentration (NOAEC) as well as their combined effects on fathead minnow, (Pimephales promelas) reproduction in a mixture exposure. While neither contaminant nor their mixture altered reproduction in terms of fecundity, their mixture resulted in significant fathead minnow mortality during a 21 d exposure. This study demonstrated the need to consider mixture effects when assessing risk for toxicity testing with multiple stressors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Androgenic and estrogenic effects of the synthetic androgen 17alpha-methyltestosterone on sexual development and reproductive performance in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) determined using the gonadal recrudescence assay.

PubMed

Pawlowski, S; Sauer, A; Shears, J A; Tyler, C R; Braunbeck, T

2004-06-24

The effects of the androgen, 17alpha-methyltestosterone were assessed on sexual development and reproductive performance in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) using a gonadal recrudescence assay. In this assay, mature male and female fathead minnow, previously kept under simulated winter conditions (15 degrees C; 8:16 h light:dark regime) were transferred to simulated summer conditions (25 degrees C water temperature; 16:8 h light:dark regime) to induce gonadal recrudescence. To assess sexual development fish were exposed to nominal concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1, 5 and 50 microg/L 17alpha-methyltestosterone. After 3 weeks of chemical exposure, effects on condition (condition factor, CF), plasma vitellogenin (VTG), secondary sex characteristics, gonad growth (gonadosomatic index; GSI) and gonad histology were investigated. Reproductive performance, including reproductive output (egg production), spawning behaviour, and fertilisation rate were measured over a subsequent 3-week-period in breeding adults maintained in clean water. 17alpha-Methyltestosterone had no effects on the condition of fish at any of the doses tested. 17alpha-Methyltestosterone induced both androgenic and estrogenic effects with females generally more affected by 17alpha-methyltestosterone than males: atretic follicles and male-specific sex characteristics (androgenic effect) were induced in females at > or = 0.1 and > or = 1 microg/L 17alpha-methyltestosterone, respectively. An inhibitory effect on ovary growth occurred at an exposure concentration of 50 microg/L 17alpha-methyltestosterone. In males 1 microg/L 17alpha-methyltestosterone induced a concentration-response induction of plasma vitellogenin (estrogenic effect) likely due to its conversion into 17alpha-methylestradiol, rather to the competition with endogenous steroids and their cross reactivity with the estrogen receptor. In the fish breeding studies, concentration-dependent reductions in egg number, fertilisation rate and increases in abnormal sexual behaviour in females were observed. All of these effects occurred at exposure concentrations of > or = 5 microg/L 17alpha-methyltestosterone. Thus, it could be assumed that the observed estrogenic effects in male fathead minnow were likely to the conversion of 17alpha-methyltestosterone into the estrogen 17alpha-methylestradiol, rather to the acting of 17alpha-methyltestosterone itself. In conclusion to this, showing hormonally activity of 17alpha-methyltestosterone in fish down to 100 ng/L, indicates that its potency was close to the range of several naturally occurring estrogens.

Toxicity and bioaccumulation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Yoo, Leslie J; Lotufo, Guilherme R; Gibson, Alfreda B; Steevens, Jeffery A; Sims, Jerre G

2006-12-01

Few studies have determined the toxicity and bioaccumulation potential of explosive compounds in freshwater fish. In the present study, fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) were exposed to a range of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) concentrations (0.44-44 micromol/L [0.1-10 mg/L] and 4.4-22.0 micromol/L [1.0-5.0 mg/L] in 4- and 10-d experiments, respectively). Median lethal concentrations of 11.93 micromol/L (2.7 mg/L; 95% confidence limit [CL], 10.29-13.83 micromol/L) and 9.68 micromol/L (2.20 mg/L; 95% CL, 9.17-10.22 micromol/L) were calculated in the 4- and 10-d experiments, respectively, and median lethal body residue of 101.0 micromol/kg (95% CL, 86.0-118.7 micromol/kg) was calculated in 4-d experiments. To study bioaccumulation, fish were exposed to 4.4 micromol/L (1 mg/L) of TNT for 12 h. Rapid bioaccumulation of TNT occurred within the first 10 min of exposure (ku = 30.4 L/kg/ h). Elimination of sigmaTNT (molar sum of TNT and degradation products 2- and 4-aminodinitrotoluenes) was fast, with an elimination rate (ke) of 2.24/h and a short half-life (0.31 h). The bioconcentration factors determined using 6-h mean tissue and water concentrations of sigmaTNT were 8.40 and 4.68 L/kg for the uptake experiment and the uptake portion of the elimination experiments, respectively. To determine the target organ for TNT in fish, juvenile fathead minnow were exposed to 2.2 micromol/L (0.5 mg/L) of [14C]TNT for 10 d. Radiolabeled compounds primarily bioaccumulated in the visceral tissues and spleen in comparison to gill, brain, muscle, and remainder tissue groups. The present study demonstrates the low bioaccumulation potential and rapid uptake of TNT in the fathead minnow.

Behind the scene with the fathead team: Part I. Caged fish for assessment of chemicals in the environment

EPA Science Inventory

As part of a research team focused on aquatic toxicity testing using fathead minnows as a model species, this presentation is the first of a three-part series, giving an overview of the types of field and laboratory studies as well as sample processing our team conducts at the U....

Viral Susceptibility Range of the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) Poikilothermic Cell Line 1

PubMed Central

Solis, Juan; Mora, Emilio C.

1970-01-01

The viral susceptibility range of a poikilothermic cell line derived from the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) (FHM) to infection by a number of homoiothermic viruses representing most of the presently recognized viral groups and a member of the psittacosis-lymphogranuloma-trachoma group of agents was studied. All infectious agents, except poliovirus types 1 and 3, infectious bursal agent, and an avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strain, readily multiplied in the FHM cell culture system, producing a detectable cytopathic effect. Although inconclusive evidence was obtained with two other avian IBV strains, these results indicated the ability of the FHM cell culture system to readily support the propagation of a variety of cytopathogenic homoiothermic viral agents. PMID:5461163

Evaluation of whole mount in situ hybridization as a tool for pathway-based toxicological research in early-life stage fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Early-life stage fish can be more sensitive to chemical exposure than mature, adult fish. Therefore, defining adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) relevant to early-life stages is critical for linking perturbations of key events during fish development to potential adverse outcomes of...

EFFECTS OF THE MAMMALIAN ANTIANDROGEN VINCLOZOLIN ON DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION OF THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

Previous work with the chlorinated fungicide vinclozolin and its metabolites, 2-{[(3,5-dichloropheny1]-carbamoyl]oxy}-2-methyl-3-butenoic acid (M1) and 3',5'-dichloro-2-hydroxy-2-methylbut-3-enanilide (M2), indicated antiandrogenic properties expressed in vivo as abnormalities in...

THE PATH FROM MOLECULAR INDICATORS OF EXPOSURE TO DESCRIBING DYNAMIC BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS IN AN AQUATIC ORGANISM: MICROARRAYS AND THE FATHEAD MINNOW

EPA Science Inventory

The extent to which humans and wildlife are exposed to toxicants is an important focus of environmental research. This work has been directed toward the development of molecular indicators diagnostic for exposure to various stressors in freshwater fish. Research includes the di...

Impaired swim bladder inflation in early-life stage fathead minnows exposed to a deiodinase inhibitor, iopanoic acid

EPA Science Inventory

The thyroid axis plays a critical role in teleost fish development. The present study investigated whether inhibition of deiodinase, the enzyme which converts thyroxine (T4), to the more biologically-active form, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), would impact inflation of the posteri...

Linkage of Biochemical Responses to Population-level Effects: A Case Study with Vitellogenin in the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas).

EPA Science Inventory

We present a novel approach to quantifying estuarine habitat use by fish using stable isotopes. In brief, we further developed and evaluated an existing stable isotope turnover model to estimate the time American shad, an anadromous clupeid, spend in various river habitats durin...

Gene transcription ontogeny of hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid-axis development in early-life stage fathead minnow and zebrafish

EPA Science Inventory

Disruption of thyroid hormone signaling is a form of endocrine disruption that is of concern to both human health and ecosystems. Research is being conducted to define the biological targets chemicals may interact with to disrupt thyroid hormone signaling and the stages in develo...

Developing confidence in adverse outcome pathway-based toxicity predictions effects of the fungicide imazalil on fathead minnow reproduction

EPA Science Inventory

An adverse outcome pathway (AOP) description linking inhibition of aromatase (cytochrome P450 [cyp] 19) to reproductive dysfunction was reviewed for scientific and technical quality and endorsed by the OECD (https://aopwiki.org/wiki/index.php/Aop:25). An intended application of t...

Developing confidence in adverse outcome pathway-based toxicity predictions effects of the fungicide imazalil on fathead minnow reproduction (Poster)

EPA Science Inventory

An adverse outcome pathway (AOP) description linking inhibition of aromatase (cytochrome P450 [cyp] 19) to reproductive dysfunction was reviewed for scientific and technical quality and endorsed by the OECD. An intended application of the AOP framework is to support the use of me...

High intensity and prevalence of two species of trematode metacercariae in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) with no compromise of minnow anti-predator competence.

PubMed

Wisenden, Brian D; Martinez-Marquez, Jorge Y; Gracia, Emilia S; McEwen, Daniel C

2012-08-01

Opportunity for parasites to manipulate host behavioral phenotype may be influenced by several factors, including the host ecology and the presence of cohabiting parasites in the same host. Metacercariae of Ornithodiplostomum ptychocheilus and "black spot" Crassiphiala bulboglossa have similar life cycles. Each parasite uses a littoral snail as a first intermediate host, fathead minnows as a second intermediate host, and a piscivorous bird as a final host. Metacercariae of black spot encyst in the dermal and epidermal tissues, while metacercariae of O. ptychocheilus encyst on the brain over a region that coordinates optomotor responses. Because of site differences within the host, we predicted that O. ptychocheilus metacercariae might manipulate the behavioral phenotype of minnows to facilitate transmission to the final host, but metacercariae of black spot would not. In our study population, prevalence was 100% for O. ptychocheilus , with an overall median intensity of 105 metacercariae per minnow. Prevalence of black spot was 60%, with a median abundance and intensity of 12 and 20 metacercariae per minnow for the overall sample and for infected fish, respectively. Minnows accumulated both parasites over time, producing significant correlations between intensity and minnow body length and between intensities of the 2 parasites. Minnows infected with black spot had on average twice as many O. ptychocheilus metacercariae as similar-sized minnows without any black spot cercariae. We found no correlation between body condition of minnows and intensity for either parasite. We measured 2 aspects of anti-predator competence to test for effects linked to parasite intensity. We found no correlation between intensity of either species of parasite and latency to behavioral response to attack from a mechanical model heron, nor was there any effect of parasite intensity on a measure of shoaling affinity. The absence of any detectable effect of metacercariae on anti-predator competence in minnows may reflect selection against parasite pathology from predation by non-hosts of the parasites and overwinter mortality due to low dissolved oxygen.

Atrazine reduces reproduction in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas): raw data report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillitt, Donald E.; Papoulias, Diana M.; Whyte, Jeffrey J.; Richter, Catherine A.

2014-01-01

The herbicide, atrazine, routinely is observed in surface and groundwaters, particularly in the “corn belt” region, a high-use area of the United States. Atrazine has demonstrated effects on reproduction in mammals and amphibians, but the characterization of endocrine-related effects in fish has received only limited attention. Peak concentrations of atrazine in surface water of streams from these agricultural areas coincide with annual spawning events of native fishes. Consequently, there was an unacceptable level of uncertainty in our understanding of the risks associated with the periods of greatest atrazine exposure and greatest vulnerability of certain species of fishes. For this reason, a study of the effects of atrazine on fathead minnow reproduction was undertaken (Tillitt and others, 2010). This report provides the raw data from that study.

Evaluation of whole mount in situ hybridization as a tool for pathway-based toxicological research in early-life stage fathead minnows (poster)

EPA Science Inventory

Early-life stage fish can be more sensitive to chemical exposure than mature, adult fish. Therefore, defining adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) relevant to early-life stages is critical for linking perturbations of key events during fish development to potential adverse outcomes of...

A Market-Basket Approach to Predict the Acute Aquatic Toxicity of Munitions and Energetic Materials.

PubMed

Burgoon, Lyle D

2016-06-01

An ongoing challenge in chemical production, including the production of insensitive munitions and energetics, is the ability to make predictions about potential environmental hazards early in the process. To address this challenge, a quantitative structure activity relationship model was developed to predict acute fathead minnow toxicity of insensitive munitions and energetic materials. Computational predictive toxicology models like this one may be used to identify and prioritize environmentally safer materials early in their development. The developed model is based on the Apriori market-basket/frequent itemset mining approach to identify probabilistic prediction rules using chemical atom-pairs and the lethality data for 57 compounds from a fathead minnow acute toxicity assay. Lethality data were discretized into four categories based on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. Apriori identified toxicophores for categories two and three. The model classified 32 of the 57 compounds correctly, with a fivefold cross-validation classification rate of 74 %. A structure-based surrogate approach classified the remaining 25 chemicals correctly at 48 %. This result is unsurprising as these 25 chemicals were fairly unique within the larger set.

Behind the scene with the fathead team: Part II. In-lab flow through exposures and “omics” to complement effects based monitoring in the Duluth-Superior Harbor.

EPA Science Inventory

As part of a research team focused on aquatic toxicity testing using fathead minnows as a model species, this presentation is the second of a three-part series, giving an overview of the types of field and laboratory studies as well as sample processing our team conducts at the U...

Pathway-based approaches for assessment of real-time exposure to an estrogenic wastewater treatment plant effluent on fathead minnow reproduction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cavallin, Jenna E.; Jensen, Kathleen M.; Kahl, Michael D.; Villeneuve, Daniel L.; Lee, Kathy E.; Schroeder, Anthony L.; Mayasich, Joe; Eid, Evan P.; Nelson, Krysta R.; Milsk, Rebecca Y.; Blackwell, Brett R.; Berninger, Jason P.; LaLone, Carlie A.; Blanskma, Chad; Jicha, Terri M.; Elonen, Colleen M.; Johnson, Rodney C.; Ankley, Gerald T.

2016-01-01

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are known contributors of chemical mixtures into the environment. Of particular concern are endocrine-disrupting compounds, such as estrogens, which can affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function in exposed organisms. The present study examined reproductive effects in fathead minnows exposed for 21 d to a historically estrogenic WWTP effluent. Fathead minnow breeding pairs were held in control water or 1 of 3 effluent concentrations (5%, 20%, and 100%) in a novel onsite, flow-through system providing real-time exposure. The authors examined molecular and biochemical endpoints representing key events along adverse outcome pathways linking estrogen receptor activation and other molecular initiating events to reproductive impairment. In addition, the authors used chemical analysis of the effluent to construct a chemical-gene interaction network to aid in targeted gene expression analyses and identifying potentially impacted biological pathways. Cumulative fecundity was significantly reduced in fish exposed to 100% effluent but increased in those exposed to 20% effluent, the approximate dilution factor in the receiving waters. Plasma vitellogenin concentrations in males increased in a dose-dependent manner with effluent concentration; however, male fertility was not impacted. Although in vitro analyses, analytical chemistry, and biomarker responses confirmed the effluent was estrogenic, estrogen receptor agonists were unlikely the primary driver of impaired reproduction. The results provide insights into the significance of pathway-based effects with regard to predicting adverse reproductive outcomes.

Effects of lipid-lowering pharmaceuticals bezafibrate and clofibric acid on lipid metabolism in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Weston, Anna; Caminada, Daniel; Galicia, Hector; Fent, Karl

2009-12-01

The lipid-lowering agents bezafibrate and clofibric acid, which occur at concentrations up to 3.1 and 1.6 microg/L, respectively, are among the most frequently found human pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment. In contrast to knowledge about their environmental occurrence, little is known about their effects in the environment. The aim of the present study was to analyze effects of these lipid-lowering agents in fish by focusing on their modes of action, lipid metabolism. Fathead minnows were exposed in aquaria to measured concentrations of 0.1, 1.27, 10.18, 101.56, and 106.7 mg/L bezafibrate and to 1.07, 10.75, and 108.91 mg/L clofibric acid for 14 and 21 d, respectively. After exposure, fish liver was analyzed for expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the PPAR-regulated enzyme fatty acyl-coenzyme-A oxidase (FAO) involved in fatty acid oxidation. Bezafibrate had no effect, either on PPARalpha expression or on FAO activity, at all concentrations. In contrast, clofibric acid induced FAO activity in male fathead minnows at 108.91 mg/L. No increase in expression of PPARalpha messenger ribonucleic acid was observed. Egg production was apparently decreased after 21 d of exposure to 108.91 mg/L clofibric acid. The present study demonstrates that bezafibrate has very little or no effect on PPARalpha expression and FAO activity, but clofibric acid affects FAO activity.

Comparison of short-term chronic and chronic silver toxicity to fathead minnows in unamended and sodium chloride-amended waters.

PubMed

Naddy, Rami B; Rehner, Anita B; McNerney, Gina R; Gorsuch, Joseph W; Kramer, James R; Wood, Chris M; Paquin, Paul R; Stubblefield, William A

2007-09-01

The chronic (early life stage [ELS]) and short-term chronic (STC) toxicity of silver (as silver nitrate) to fathead minnows (FHM) was determined concurrently in flow-through exposures (33 volume additions/d). Paired ELS (approximately 30 d) and STC (7 d) studies were conducted with and without the addition of 60 mg/L Cl (as NaCl). The paired studies in unamended water were later repeated using standard flow conditions (9 volume additions/d). The purpose of the paired studies was to determine if short-term chronic endpoints can be used to predict effects in ELS studies. For each experiment, a "split-chamber" design (organisms were held in a common exposure chamber) allowed the direct comparison between short-term and chronic exposures. It appeared that the chronic toxicity of silver was mitigated to some extent by NaCl addition. The maximum acceptable toxicant concentration for growth in the ELS study was 0.53 microg dissolved Ag/L under standard flow conditions. Early life stage and STC endpoints in all three studies typically agreed within a factor of two. Whole-body sodium and silver concentrations measured in individual fathead minnows during these studies showed an increase in silver body burdens and a decrease in sodium concentration. These results indicate that the STC study could be used as a surrogate test to estimate chronic toxicity and that the mechanism of chronic silver toxicity may be the same as for acute toxicity.

Assessing the efficacy of corn-based bait containing antimycin-a to control common carp populations using laboratory and pond experiments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poole, Joshua R.; Sauey, Blake W.; Amberg, Jon J.; Bajer, Przemyslaw G.

2018-01-01

Strategic use of oral toxicants could allow for practical and sustainable control schemes for the invasive common carp (Cyprinus carpio, or ‘carp’) if a toxicant selectively targeted carp and not native species. In this study, we incorporated antimycin-a (ANT-A), a known fish toxicant, into a corn-based bait and conducted a series of experiments to determine its toxicity, leaching rate, and species-specificity. Our results showed that ANT-A was lethal to carp at doses ≥ 4 mg/kg and that the amount of ANT-A that leached out of the bait in 72 h was not lethal to carp or bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). Species-specificity trials were conducted in 227 L tanks, in which carp were stocked with three native species representing families that occur sympatrically with carp in our study region: the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and bluegill. These trials showed high mortality of carp (46%) and fathead minnows (76%) but no significant mortality of perch or bluegill. Finally, a pond study, which used the same species composition except for fathead minnows, resulted in 37% morality among adult carp and no mortality among perch or bluegill. Our results suggest that corn-based bait that contains ANT-A could be used to selectively control carp in ecosystems dominated by percids or centrarchids, such as lakes across the Great Plains ecoregion of North America, where carp are especially problematic.

Do environmental factors affect male fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) response to estrone? Part 1. Dissolved oxygen and sodium chloride.

PubMed

Feifarek, D J; Shappell, N W; Schoenfuss, H L

2018-01-01

Laboratory exposures indicate that estrogens and their mimics can cause endocrine disruption in male fishes, yet while studies of resident fish populations in estrogen-polluted waters support these findings, biomarker expression associated with field versus laboratory exposure to estrogenic endocrine disruptors (EDs) often differ dramatically. Two of the environmental parameters often found to vary in dynamic aquatic ecosystems were chosen (dissolved oxygen [DO] and sodium chloride concentrations) to assess their potential impact on ED exposure. In separate experiments, male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exposed to estrone (E1) a natural ED, under either two concentrations of DO, or two concentrations of sodium chloride, in a laboratory flow-through system. Morphological and hematological parameters were assessed. While vitellogenin concentrations were elevated with exposure to estrone (29 to 390ng/L), the effect on other indices were variable. Estrone exposure altered SSC, blood glucose, hematocrit, and hepatic and gonado-somatic index in 1 of 4 experiments, while it decreased body condition factor in 3 of 4 experiments. At the concentrations tested, no main effect differences (P<0.05) were found associated with DO or sodium chloride treatments, except in one experiment low DO resulted in a decrease in secondary sex characteristic score (SSC). The combination of DO or sodium chloride and E1 altered blood glucose in one experiment each. These results indicate the variability of fathead minnow response to estrone, even within the confines of controlled laboratory conditions. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Identifying non-point sources of endocrine active compounds and their biological impacts in freshwater lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baker, Beth H.; Martinovic-Weigelt, Dalma; Ferrey, Mark L.; Barber, Larry B.; Writer, Jeffrey H.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; Kiesling, Richard L.; Lundy, James R.; Schoenfuss, Heiko L.

2014-01-01

Contaminants of emerging concern, particularly endocrine active compounds (EACs), have been identified as a threat to aquatic wildlife. However, little is known about the impact of EACs on lakes through groundwater from onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS). This study aims to identify specific contributions of OWTS to Sullivan Lake, Minnesota, USA. Lake hydrology, water chemistry, caged bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), and larval fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) exposures were used to assess whether EACs entered the lake through OWTS inflow and the resultant biological impact on fish. Study areas included two OWTS-influenced near-shore sites with native bluegill spawning habitats and two in-lake control sites without nearby EAC sources. Caged bluegill sunfish were analyzed for plasma vitellogenin concentrations, organosomatic indices, and histological pathologies. Surface and porewater was collected from each site and analyzed for EACs. Porewater was also collected for laboratory exposure of larval fathead minnow, before analysis of predator escape performance and gene expression profiles. Chemical analysis showed EACs present at low concentrations at each study site, whereas discrete variations were reported between sites and between summer and fall samplings. Body condition index and liver vacuolization of sunfish were found to differ among study sites as did gene expression in exposed larval fathead minnows. Interestingly, biological exposure data and water chemistry did not match. Therefore, although results highlight the potential impacts of seepage from OWTS, further investigation of mixture effects and life history factor as well as chemical fate is warranted.

Wild Mammalian Biomonitors for Assessing Impacts of Environmental Contamination on Population and Community Ecology

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

will be compared to common laboratory bioassay tests (fathea minnow survival, rice seed germination test, etc.), relative to their ability to pre- ’dict...rice seed germination , and Ceriodaphnia assays. At the ecosystem level, in situ small mammal total biomass, sex ratios, reproduction, recruit- ment...bioassay tests (fathead minnow survival, rice seed germination test, etc.), relative to their ability to predict ecotoxicity risks (as indexed by

TRAINING AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OF ORD-DEVELOPED MOLECULAR BIOLOGY-BASED TOOLS: 1. ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICAL FATHEAD MINNOW BIOASSAY; 2. MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING METHODS; 3. FIELD IDENTIFICATION OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROP PLANTS

EPA Science Inventory

Region 9 RSL and ORD/NERL scientists developed a course for the RSC (Regional Science Council)-sponsored training class on Molecular Biology Concepts. The training will take place as part of the technology transfer of a fish EDC (endocrine disrupting chemical) bioassay to the Reg...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

Clinch River - Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) personnel and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) personnel conducted a study during the week of October 21-28, 1993, as described in the Statement of Work (SOW) document. The organisms specified for testing were larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Due to serious reproduction/embryo abortion problems with the TVA daphnid cultures, TVA conducted tests during this study period using only fathead minnows. A split sample test using daphnids only will be scheduled during 1994 as a substitute for this study period. Surface water samples were collected by TVA Field Engineering personnelmore » from Poplar Creek Mile 2.9, Mile 4.3, and Mile 5.1 on October 20, 22, and 25. Samples were split and provided to the CR-ERP and TVA toxicology laboratories for testing. Exposure of test organisms to these samples resulted in no toxicity (survival or growth) in testing conducted by TVA.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) personnel and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) personnel conducted a study during the week of October 21--28, 1993. The organisms specified for testing were larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Due to serious reproduction/embryo abortion problems with the TVA daphnid cultures, TVA conducted tests during this study period using only fathead minnows. Surface water samples were collected by TVA Field Engineering personnel from Poplar Creek Mile 2.9, Mile 4.3, and Mile 5.1 on October 20, 22, and 25. Samples were split and provided to the CR-ERP and TVA toxicology laboratories for testing.more » Exposure of test organisms to these samples resulted in no toxicity (survival or growth) in testing conducted by TVA. Attachments to this report include: Chain of custody forms -- originals; Toxicity test bench sheets and statistical analyses; and Reference toxicant test information.« less

Static renewal tests using Pimephales promelas (fathead minnows) and Ceriodaphnia dubia (daphnids). Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) study, ambient water toxicity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Russell, C.L.

1993-12-31

Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) personnel and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) personnel conducted a study during the week of July 22--29, 1993. The organisms specified for testing were larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Surface water samples were collected by TVA Field engineering personnel from Clinch River Mile 19.0 and Mile 22.0 on July 21, 23, and 26. Samples were split and provided to the CR-ERP and TVA toxicology laboratories for testing. Exposure of test organisms to these samples resulted in no toxicity (survival, growth, or reproduction) to either species in testing conducted by TVA. Attachmentsmore » to this report include: Chain of custody forms -- originals; Toxicity test bench sheets and statistical analyses; and Reference toxicant test information.« less

Impairment of the reproductive potential of male fathead minnows by environmentally relevant exposures to 4-nonylphenolf

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schoenfuss, H.L.; Bartell, S.E.; Bistodeau, T.B.; Cediel, R.A.; Grove, K.J.; Zintek, Larry; Lee, K.E.; Barber, L.B.

2008-01-01

The synthetic organic compound 4-nonylphenol (NP) has been detected in many human-impacted surface waters in North America. In this study, we examined the ability of NP to alter reproductive competence in male fathead minnows after a 28 day flow-through exposure in a range of environmentally relevant concentrations bracketing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency toxicity-based NP chronic exposure criterion of 6.1 ??g NP/L. Exposure to NP at and above the EPA chronic exposure criterion resulted in an induction of plasma vitellogenin (VTG) within 14 days. However, 7 days after the cessation of exposure, VTG concentrations had dropped more than 50% and few males expressed VTG above the detection threshold. All of the morphological endpoints, including gonadosomatic index, hepatosomatic index, secondary sexual characters, and histopathology, were unaltered by all NP treatments. However, when NP-exposed male fish were allowed to compete with control males for access to nest sites and females, most treatments altered the reproductive competence of exposed males. At lower NP concentrations, exposed males out-competed control males, possibly by being primed through the estrogenic NP exposure in a fashion similar to priming by pheromones released from female fathead minnows. At higher NP exposure concentrations, this priming effect was negated by the adverse effects of the exposure and control males out-competed treated males. Results of this study indicate the complexity of endocrine disrupting effects and the need for multiple analysis levels to assess the effects of these compounds on aquatic organisms. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chronic toxicity of azo and anthracenedione dyes to embryo-larval fathead minnow.

PubMed

Parrott, Joanne L; Bartlett, Adrienne J; Balakrishnan, Vimal K

2016-03-01

The toxicity of selected azo and anthracenedione dyes was studied using chronic exposures of embryo-larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Newly fertilized fathead minnow embryos were exposed through the egg stage, past hatching, through the larval stage (until 14 days post-hatch), with dye solutions renewed daily. The anthracenedione dyes Acid Blue 80 (AB80) and Acid Blue 129 (AB129) caused no effects in larval fish at the highest measured concentrations tested of 7700 and 6700 μg/L, respectively. Both azo dyes Disperse Yellow 7 (DY7) and Sudan Red G (SRG) decreased survival of larval fish, with LC50s (based on measured concentrations of dyes in fish exposure water) of 25.4 μg/L for DY7 and 16.7 μg/L for SRG. Exposure to both azo dyes caused a delayed response, with larval fish succumbing 4-10 days after hatch. If the exposures were ended at the embryo stage or just after hatch, the potency of these two dyes would be greatly underestimated. Concentrations of dyes that we measured entering the Canadian environment were much lower than those that affected larval fish survival in the current tests. In a total of 162 samples of different municipal wastewater effluents from across Canada assessed for these dyes, all were below detection limits. The similarities of the structures and larval fish responses for the two azo and two anthracenedione dyes in this study support the use of read-across data for risk assessment of these classes of compounds. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Migration and site selection of Ornithodiplostomum ptychocheilus (Trematoda: Digenea) metacercariae in the brain of fathead minnows ( Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Matisz, Chelsea E; Goater, Cameron P; Bray, Douglas

2010-04-01

The migration of subadult parasites to preferred sites within final hosts is well characterized. In contrast, the migration of larval stages of trematodes to specific sites within their second intermediate hosts is poorly understood. We used a serial necropsy approach to characterize the migration of Ornithodiplostomum ptychocheilus diplostomules from the point of cercarial penetration, to encystment within the outermost tissues of the brain of fathead minnows. Diplostomules utilized peripheral nerves to access the central nerve cord, or they used specific cranial nerves to directly access the brain. Within 3 h of exposure to cercariae, 46% of all diplostomules were observed within the medulla of the brain. Diplostomules subsequently utilized specific neural tracts to reach lateral regions of the outermost tissue layer of the optic lobes, the stratum marginale. Diplostomules remained in this layer during their 4-week growth phase, then shifted site to the adjacent meninges for encystment. Characterization of a habitat shift for developing versus encysted metacercariae helps explain the results of previous ecological studies that document transient changes in the effects of metacercariae on the surivival, behaviour, and anti-parasite defences of infected fish.

Effects of stripped oil shale retort water on fishes, birds, and mammals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nystrom, R.R.

1983-01-01

Golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus Water), coturnix quail (Coturnix coturnix Teminck and Schlegal), fathead minnows (Pimphales promelas Rafinesque), and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson) were subjected to various exposures of stripped oil shale retort water (SRW). Chronic low-level exposures of all experimental animals to SRW revealed no adverse histological effects attributable to SRW. Also, production and development of second generation fathead minnows and coturnix quail exposed to SRW was normal. Subacute exposure of rainbow trout to SRW produced ultrastructural changes detected by transmission, scanning, and freeze fracture electron microscopy) in the gill, liver, and kidney tissues. The gills showed a swellingmore » of secondary lamellae, disorganization of normal tissue architecture, and sloughing of respiratory cells. The liver contained lamellar bodies not seen in the controls. Relatively large, electron dense, membrane-bounded deposits were present in proximal tubule cells of the kidney. Sodium arsenite (a significant component of SRW) was shown to cause swelling of granular endosplasmic reticulum in quail liver tissue with an acute exposure. This effect could be related to the fact that arsenic inhibits ATP production, which would decrease the ability of the sodium pumps to maintain a normal osmotic balance.« less

Development of Cardiovascular and Neurodevelopmental Metrics as Sublethal Endpoints for the Fish Embryo Toxicity Test.

PubMed

Krzykwa, Julie C; Olivas, Alexis; Jeffries, Marlo K Sellin

2018-06-19

The fathead minnow fish embryo toxicity (FET) test has been proposed as a more humane alternative to current toxicity testing methods, as younger organisms are thought to experience less distress during toxicant exposure. However, the FET test protocol does not include endpoints that allow for the prediction of sublethal adverse outcomes, limiting its utility relative to other test types. Researchers have proposed the development of sublethal endpoints for the FET test to increase its utility. The present study 1) developed methods for previously unmeasured sublethal metrics in fathead minnows (i.e., spontaneous contraction frequency and heart rate) and 2) investigated the responsiveness of several sublethal endpoints related to growth (wet weight, length, and growth-related gene expression), neurodevelopment (spontaneous contraction frequency, and neurodevelopmental gene expression), and cardiovascular function and development (pericardial area, eye size and cardiovascular related gene expression) as additional FET test metrics using the model toxicant 3,4-dichloroaniline. Of the growth, neurological and cardiovascular endpoints measured, length, eye size and pericardial area were found to more responsive than the other endpoints, respectively. Future studies linking alterations in these endpoints to longer-term adverse impacts are needed to fully evaluate the predictive power of these metrics in chemical and whole effluent toxicity testing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Adaptation, Compensation, and Recovery: Unraveling the Mechanisms through Genomics

EPA Science Inventory

A variety of chemicals in the environment have the potential to inhibit aromatase, an enzyme critical to estrogen synthesis. We examined the responses of female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to a model aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole, using transcriptional network inferen...

Validation of a Fish Short-term Reproduction Assay

EPA Science Inventory

The Fish Short-term Reproduction Assay is an in vivo assay conducted with fathead minnows and is designed to detect changes in spawning, gross morphology, histopathology, and specific biochemical endpoints that reflect disturbances in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis...

EE2 Changes Gene Expression in Fathead Minnow Testis

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental estrogens have been implicated in altering reproductive health of aquatic animals. Early studies of sewage treatment effluents attributed the feminization of male fish to exposure to mixtures of natural and synthetic estrogens. One of the most potent estrogens kno...

TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL VARIABILITY IN THE ESTROGENICITY OF A MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER EFFLUENT

EPA Science Inventory

Estrogenicity of a municipal wastewater effluent was monitored using the vitellogenin biomarker in adult male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Variability in expression of the vitellogenin biomarker was evident among monitoring periods. Significant increases in plasma vit...

ASSESSING CONTAMINANT SENSITIVITY OF ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES: EFFLUENT TOXICITY TESTS

EPA Science Inventory

Toxicity tests using standard effluent test procedures were conducted (EPA 1994) with Ceriodaphnia dubia and fathead minnows and four endangered fish species: bonytail chub (Gila elegans), Colorado squawfish (Ptychocheilus lucias ), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) and Gila t...

Aromatase Inhibition in a Transcriptional Network Context

EPA Science Inventory

A variety of chemicals in the environment have the potential to inhibit aromatase, an enzyme critical to estrogen synthesis. We examined the responses of female fathead minnow ovaries (FHM, Pimephales promelas) to a model aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole, using a transcriptional ne...

STRUCTURE TOXICITY IN RELATIONSHIPS FOR A,B-UNSATURATED ALCOHOLS IN FISH

EPA Science Inventory

Previous toxicity testing with fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) indicated that some unsaturated acetylenic and allylic alcohols can be metabolically activated, via alcohol dehydrogenase, to highly toxic a,B-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones or allene derivatives. lthough sev...

A Computational Model for Oocyte Growth Dynamics in Fathead Minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Molecular biomarkers have been used in ecotoxicological studies to evaluate the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals in fish. Changes in these molecular biomarkers must then be linked to the effects upon reproduction in individuals, and subsequently populations. To meet th...

A Computational Model for Oocyte Growth Dynamics in Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Molecular biomarkers have been used in ecotoxicological studies to evaluate the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals in fish. Ideally, changes in these molecular biomarkers should be linked to the effects upon reproduction in individuals, and subsequently populations. To m...

COMPARISON OF FATHEAD MINNOW AND HUMAN ESTROGEN RECEPTOR BINDING TO ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental estrogens have the potential to disrupt endocrine function in a myriad of species. However, in vitro assays designed to detect and characterize endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) typically utilize mammalian estrogen receptors. Our overall objective is to charac...

Effects of the insecticide fipronil on reproductive endocrinology in the fathead minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) and GABA receptors play an important role in neuroendocrine regulation in fish. Disruption of the GABAergic system by environmental contaminants could interfere with normal regulation of the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis, leading to imp...

SMALL FISH MODELS FOR IDENTIFYING AND ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS

EPA Science Inventory

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), in particular those which affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis of vertebrates, have become a focus of regulatory screening and testing throughout the world. Small fish species, principally the fathead minnow (Pimephales prom...

Genotyping Sex in Fathead Minnows, Pimephales promelas, for Use in Endocrine Disruption Assays

EPA Science Inventory

Endocrine disrupting compounds have been shown to completely sex reverse both male and female individuals in amphibian, avian, fish, invertebrate, and reptile species. In many cases these sex-reversed individuals are morphologically indistinguishable from normal individuals. Dete...

Genotyping Sex in Fathead Minnows, Pimephales promelas, for Use in Endocrine Disruption Assays

EPA Science Inventory

Endocrine disrupting compounds have been shown to completely sex reverse both male and female individuals in amphibian, avian, fish, invertebrate, and reptile species. In many cases these sex-reversed individuals are morphologically indistinguishable from normal individuals. De...

Enantioselective Toxicity and Biotransformation of Fipronil in the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Fipronil is a relatively new chiral phenylpyrazole insecticide used to control both agricultural and household invertebrate pests. Fipronil is applied as a racemate, or equal mixture, of its two enantiomers. As regulations on older pesticides increase, production and applicatio...

Effects of gemfibrozil on lipid metabolism, steroidogenesis and reproduction in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Fibrates are a class of pharmaceuticals that indirectly modulate cholesterol biosynthesis through effects on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), which are transcriptional cofactors that regulate expression of genes related to lipid metabolism. Gemfibrozil is a fi...

Effects of Gemfibrozil on Cholesterol Metabolism, Steroidogenesis, and Reproduction in the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Fibrates are a class of pharmaceuticals that indirectly modulate cholesterol biosynthesis through effects on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, which are transcriptional cofactors that regulate expression of genes related to lipid metabolism. Gemfibrozil is a fibrate th...

Dynamic Nature of Alterations in the Endocrine System of Fathead Minnows Exposed to Prochloraz

EPA Science Inventory

The vertebrate hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis is controlled through various feedback mechanisms, ideally maintaining dynamic homeostasis in the face of changing environmental conditions, including exposure to chemical stressors. These studies assessed the effects of t...

Effects of Gemfibrozil on Cholesterol Metabolism and Steroidogenesis in the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Fibrates are a class of pharmaceuticals that indirectly modulate cholesterol biosynthesis through effects on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR), which are transcriptional cofactors that regulate expression of genes related to lipid metabolism. Gemfibrozil is a fib...

Effects of Gemfibrozil on Cholesterol Metabolism, Steroidogenesis, and Reproduction in the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Fibrates are a class of pharmaceuticals that indirectly modulate cholesterol biosynthesis through effects on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR), which are transcriptional cofactors that regulate expression of genes related to lipid metabolism. Gemfibrozil is a fib...

Tissue-specific uptake and bioconcentration of the oral contraceptive norethindrone in two freshwater fishes.

PubMed

Nallani, Gopinath C; Paulos, Peter M; Venables, Barney J; Edziyie, Regina E; Constantine, Lisa A; Huggett, Duane B

2012-02-01

The environmental presence of the oral contraceptive norethindrone (NET) has been reported and shown to have reproductive effects in fish at environmentally realistic exposure levels. The current study examined bioconcentration potential of NET in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Fathead minnows were exposed to 50 μg/l NET for 28 days and allowed to depurate in clean water for 14 days. In a minimized 14-day test design, catfish were exposed to 100 μg/l NET for 7 days followed by 7-day depuration. In the fathead test, tissues (muscle, liver, and kidneys) were sampled during the uptake (days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28) and depuration (days 35 and 42) phases. In the catfish test, muscle, liver, gill, brain, and plasma were collected during the uptake (days 1, 3, and 7) and depuration (day 14) stages. NET tissue levels were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Accumulation of NET in tissues was greatest in liver followed by plasma, gill, brain, and muscle. Tissue-specific bioconcentration factors (BCFs) ranged from 2.6 to 40.8. Although NET has been reported to elicit reproductive effects in fish, the present study indicated a low potential to bioconcentrate in aquatic biota.

Preliminary studies into the effects of the human pharmaceutical Clofibric acid on sperm parameters in adult Fathead minnow.

PubMed

Runnalls, Tamsin J; Hala, David N; Sumpter, John P

2007-08-15

The effects of Clofibric acid (a persistent environmental metabolite of Clofibrate, a human pharmaceutical), on Fathead minnows were studied. Fibrates are used to prevent cardiovascular disease through their antilipidemic activity. In a series of experiments, in which fish were exposed to waterborne Clofibric acid, no convincing, reproducible antilipidemic effects were observed. In contrast, in three separate experiments, Clofibric acid affected the reproductive axis of fish. Spermatogenesis was apparently impaired, leading to a marked reduction in sperm count in two of the three experiments. Various measures of sperm motility were also reduced, although only significantly so at the highest concentration of Clofibric acid tested (1mg/L). There were also indications that plasma androgen concentrations were reduced. These effects of Clofibric acid on the reproductive axis of fish are similar to those that occur in some mammals as a side-effect of the drug. Taken together, a weight-of-evidence argument would suggest that the main discernable effect of Clofibric acid on fish is likely to be a reproductive, not an antilipidemic, one. Although some of these reproductive effects of Clofibric acid occurred only at a high concentration (1mg/L), others occurred at lower concentrations (microg/litre), near or similar to those reported in the aquatic environment (ng to low microg/litre range). Although we recognise that this is not a definitive study of the effects of Clofibric acid on fish reproduction, the results strongly suggest that Clofibric acid could adversely affect sperm parameters and androgen concentrations in adult Fathead minnows. Further studies are warranted. This may be an example of a drug in which an accidentally discovered side-effect found in mammals turns out to be the most important effect in a different vertebrate group, namely fish.

Toxicity of naphthenic acid fraction components extracted from fresh and aged oil sands process-affected waters, and commercial naphthenic acid mixtures, to fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryos.

PubMed

Marentette, Julie R; Frank, Richard A; Bartlett, Adrienne J; Gillis, Patricia L; Hewitt, L Mark; Peru, Kerry M; Headley, John V; Brunswick, Pamela; Shang, Dayue; Parrott, Joanne L

2015-07-01

Naphthenic acids (NAs) are constituents of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). These compounds can be both toxic and persistent and thus are a primary concern for the ultimate remediation of tailings ponds in northern Alberta's oil sands regions. Recent research has focused on the toxicity of NAs to the highly vulnerable early life-stages of fish. Here we examined fathead minnow embryonic survival, growth and deformities after exposure to extracted NA fraction components (NAFCs), from fresh and aged oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), as well as commercially available NA mixtures. Commercial NA mixtures were dominated by acyclic O2 species, while NAFCs from OSPW were dominated by bi- and tricyclic O2 species. Fathead minnow embryos less than 24h old were reared in tissue culture plates terminating at hatch. Both NAFC and commercial NA mixtures reduced hatch success, although NAFCs from OSPW were less toxic (EC50=5-12mg/L, nominal concentrations) than commercial NAs (2mg/L, nominal concentrations). The toxicities of NAFCs from aged and fresh OSPW were similar. Embryonic heart rates at 2 days post-fertilization (dpf) declined with increasing NAFC exposure, paralleling patterns of hatch success and rates of cardiovascular abnormalities (e.g., pericardial edemas) at hatch. Finfold deformities increased in exposures to commercial NA mixtures, not NAFCs. Thus, commercial NA mixtures are not appropriate surrogates for NAFC toxicity. Further work clarifying the mechanisms of action of NAFCs in OSPW, as well as comparisons with additional aged sources of OSPW, is merited. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmentally relevant exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol affects the telencephalic proteome of male fathead minnows

PubMed Central

Martyniuk, Christopher J.; Kroll, Kevin J.; Doperalski, Nicholas J.; Barber, David S.; Denslow, Nancy D.

2010-01-01

Estrogens are key mediators of neuronal processes in vertebrates. As such, xenoestrogens present in the environment have the potential to alter normal central nervous system (CNS) function. The objectives of the present study were 1) to identify proteins with altered expression in the male fathead minnow telencephalon as a result of low level exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), and 2) to better understand the underlying mechanisms of 17β-estradiol (E2) feedback in this important neuroendocrine tissue. Male fathead minnows exposed to a measured concentration of 5.4 ng EE2/L for 48 hours showed decreased plasma E2 levels of approximately 2-fold. Of 77 proteins that were quantified statistically, 14 proteins were down-regulated after EE2 exposure, including four histone proteins, ATP synthase, H+ transporting subunits, and metabolic proteins (lactate dehydrogenase B4, malate dehydrogenase 1b). Twelve proteins were significantly induced by EE2 including microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT), astrocytic phosphoprotein, ependymin precursor, and calmodulin. MAPT showed an increase in protein abundance but a decrease in mRNA expression after EE2 exposure, suggesting there may be a negative feedback response in the telencephalon to decrease mRNA transcription with increasing MAPT protein abundance. These results demonstrate that a low, environmentally relevant exposure to EE2 can rapidly alter the abundance of proteins involved in cell differentiation and proliferation, neuron network morphology, and long term synaptic potentiation. Together, these findings provide a better understanding of the molecular responses underlying E2 feedback in the brain and demonstrate that quantitative proteomics can be successfully used in ecotoxicology to characterize affected cellular pathways and endocrine physiology. PMID:20381887

Environmentally relevant exposure to 17alpha-ethinylestradiol affects the telencephalic proteome of male fathead minnows.

PubMed

Martyniuk, Christopher J; Kroll, Kevin J; Doperalski, Nicholas J; Barber, David S; Denslow, Nancy D

2010-07-15

Estrogens are key mediators of neuronal processes in vertebrates. As such, xenoestrogens present in the environment have the potential to alter normal central nervous system (CNS) function. The objectives of the present study were (1) to identify proteins with altered abundance in the male fathead minnow telencephalon as a result of low-level exposure to 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE(2)), and (2) to better understand the underlying mechanisms of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) feedback in this important neuroendocrine tissue. Male fathead minnows exposed to a measured concentration of 5.4 ng EE(2)/L for 48 h showed decreased plasma E(2) levels of approximately 2-fold. Of 77 proteins that were quantified statistically, 14 proteins were down-regulated after EE(2) exposure, including four histone proteins, ATP synthase, H+ transporting subunits, and metabolic proteins (lactate dehydrogenase B4, malate dehydrogenase 1b). Twelve proteins were significantly induced by EE(2) including microtubule-associated protein tau (Mapt), astrocytic phosphoprotein, ependymin precursor, and calmodulin. Mapt showed an increase in protein abundance but a decrease in mRNA expression after EE(2) exposure(,) suggesting there may be a negative feedback response in the telencephalon to decreased mRNA transcription with increasing Mapt protein abundance. These results demonstrate that a low, environmentally relevant exposure to EE(2) can rapidly alter the abundance of proteins involved in cell differentiation and proliferation, neuron network morphology, and long-term synaptic potentiation. Together, these findings provide a better understanding of the molecular responses underlying E(2) feedback in the brain and demonstrate that quantitative proteomics can be successfully used in ecotoxicology to characterize affected cellular pathways and endocrine physiology. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of a fire-retardant chemical to fathead minnows in experimental streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Calfee, R.D.; Little, E.E.

2003-01-01

Background. Each year millions of liters of fire-retardant chemicals are applied to wildfires across the nation. Recent laboratory studies with long-term fire-retardant chemicals indicate a significant photoenhanced toxicity of products containing sodium ferrocyanide corrosion inhibitors. Our objective of this study was to determine the toxicity of fire-retardant chemicals to fathead minnows during exposure in experimental outdoor streams. Methods. Stream tests were conducted to determine the potential toxicity of a pulse of exposure as might occur when fire retardant chemical is rinsed from the watershed by rainfall. Two artificial 55-meter experimental streams were dosed with different concentrations of Fire-Trol?? GTS-R, or uncontaminated for a control. Replicate groups of fathead minnows were added to screened containers (10 fish per container) and exposed to retardant chemicals in the recirculating flow of the stream for up to 6 hours. Results and Discussion. Under field conditions toxicity of GTS-R only occurred in the presence of sunlight. When GTS-R was tested on sunny days, 100% mortality occurred. However, when tested during heavily overcast conditions, no mortality occurred. Conclusions. Lethal concentrations of cyanide were measured when GTS-R with YPS exposures were conducted under sunny conditions, but not under cloudy conditions, indicating that a minimum UV level is necessary to induce toxicity as well as the release of cyanide from YPS. The toxicity observed with GTS-R was likely associated with lethal concentrations of cyanide. Rainwater runoff following applications of this fire-retardant at the recommended rate could result in lethal concentrations in small ponds and streams receiving limited water flow under sunny conditions. Recommendations and Outlook. In addition to avoiding application to aquatic habitats, it is important to consider characteristics of the treated site including soil binding affinity and erosive properties.

Testing quantitative adverse outcome pathway predictions using aromatase inhibitors in female fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

To become more efficient and cost effective regulatory toxicology is increasingly averting from whole animal testing toward collecting data at lower levels of biological organization, through such means as in vitro high throughput screening (HTS) assays. When anchored to relevant...

Method optimization for fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) liver S9 isolation

EPA Science Inventory

Standard protocols have been proposed to assess metabolic stability in rainbow trout liver S9 fractions. Using in vitro substrate depletion assays, in vitro intrinsic clearance rates can be calculated for a variety of study compounds. Existing protocols suggest potential adaptati...

Quantification of Toxic Effects for Water Concentration-based Aquatic Life Criteria -Part B

EPA Science Inventory

Erickson et al. (1991) conducted a series of experiments on the toxicity of pentachloroethane (PCE) to juvenile fathead minnows. These experiments included evaluations of bioaccumulation kinetics, the time-course of mortality under both constant and time-variable exposures, the r...

Effects of Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Bisphenol A on the Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a wide-spread environmental contaminant of concern due, in part, to possible effects on the vertebrate hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, including activation of the estrogen receptor (ER). There is a reasonable amount of toxicological information fo...

GENETIC VARIATION FOR COPPER RESISTANCE IN FATHEAD MINNOW TOXICITY TESTS

EPA Science Inventory

Unexplained variation in the results of aquatic organism toxicity tests is a consistently observed and troubling phenomenon. Possible sources of variation include differences in condition or nutritional status of the population prior to the test, as well as age, density and hand...

EVALUATION OF THE ANTIANDROGENIC PROPERTIES OF VINCLOZOLIN IN THE FATHEAD MINNOW

EPA Science Inventory

Anti-androgens are an important class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, however, little is known concerning their effects in fish. This presentation will detail the effects of a known mammalian anti-androgen, vincolozin, on reproduction in a model small fish species, the fathea...

Unsupervised Analysis of the Effects of a Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent on the Fathead Minnow Ovarian Transcriptome

EPA Science Inventory

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents contain complex mixtures of chemicals, potentially including endocrine active chemicals (EACs), pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Due to the complex and variable nature of effluents, biological monitori...

Effects of the Antipsychotic Drug, Haloperidol, on Reproduction in the Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Haloperidol is a butyrophenone antipsychotic drug used for the treatment of human hyperactive and manic disorders, agitation, and schizophrenia. The drug is thought to act through antagonism of dopaminergic receptors. We have studied a variety of endocrine-disrupting chemicals wi...

Social hierarchy modulates responses of fish exposed to contaminants of emerging concern

EPA Science Inventory

Many organisms, including the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), a toxicological model organism, establish social hierarchies. The social rank of each male in a population is under the control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis mainly through regulation of circul...

METALLOTHIONEIN GENE TRANSCRIPTION AS AN INDICATOR OF METAL EXPOSURE IN FATHEAD MINNOWS

EPA Science Inventory

Metallothionein is a cysteine rich, low molecular weight, metal binding protein. Basal levels of endogenous metallothioneins (MT) have been reported in all eucaryotes. MT has been shown to play an essential role in regulating physiological requirements of essential metals such a...

FATHEAD MINNOW AND PEARL DACE PILOT AT CANADIAN EXPERIMENTAL LAKES AREA

EPA Science Inventory

There is increasing concern about the potential impact of EDCs on aquatic organisms. Among the EDCs found in aquatic habitats are synthetic estrogens, which are used in contraceptives and other pharmaceuticals. These chemicals enter waterways through sewage treatment plants and s...

ASSESSING THE USE OF OLIGONUCLEOTIDE MICROARRAYS FOR FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) TO EXAMINE EXPOSURE VARIABLES

EPA Science Inventory

Microarray technology has proven to be a useful tool for analyzing the transcriptome of various organisms representing conditions such as disease states, developmental stages, and responses to chemical exposure. Although most commercially available arrays are limited to organism...

Cloning and initial characterization of nuclear and four membrane progesterone receptors in the fathead minnow(Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Both native progestagens and synthetic progestins have important effects on reproduction that are mediated through progesterone receptors (PRs). Progestagens regulate gamete maturation in vertebrates, are critical regulators of placental mammal pregnancy, and act as reproductive ...

Conversion of estrone to estradiol in male fathead minnows: Implications for assessing risk

EPA Science Inventory

Estrogens are frequently observed in aquatic environments associated with anthropogenic influence, such as agricultural runoff and wastewater treatment effluent. While 17â-estradiol (E2) is the most potent naturally-occurring estrogen, estrone (E1) is often found at higher ...

Competitive binding comparison of endocrine-disrupting compounds to recombinant androgen receptor from fathead minnow, rainbow trout, and human

EPA Science Inventory

Typically, in vitro hazard assessments for the identification of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), including those outlined in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC) Tier 1 Screening protocols, utilize mammalian receptors. Evidence, however...

Metabolism of pentachlorophenol by fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stehly, G.R.; Hayton, W.L.

1989-01-01

Interspecies variability in the metabolism of pentachlorophenol (PCP) was investigated by exposing rainbow trout, fathead minnows, sheepshead minnow, firemouth, and goldfish to water-borne super(14)C-PCP for 64 h. The amounts of metabolites in bile and exposure water were species-dependent; all of the metabolites excreted into the water were sulphate conjugates while bile was enriched in glucuronide conjugates. Biliary excretion accounted for less than 30% of the total PCP metabolites. Biliary metabolites alone were a poor indication of the metabolites produced and of the major routes of elimination.

Immunomodulatory effects of beta-glucan on neutrophil function in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas Rafinesque, 1820).

PubMed

Palić, Dusan; Andreasen, Claire B; Herolt, Dawn M; Menzel, Bruce W; Roth, James A

2006-01-01

Stimulatory effects of yeast beta-1,3-1,6-glucans on neutrophils have long been recognized, but effects of glucans on degranulation of primary granules in fish neutrophils have not been previously reported. Neutrophil function was monitored during in vitro and in vivo application of glucans to non- (NS), acute- (AS) and chronically stressed (CS) fish. beta-Glucan proved to be a strong and quick (80%, 2 min) stimulant of degranulation. Dietary glucan increased degranulation in NS fish, and prevented a decrease in AS fish. Degranulation in CS fish returned to NS levels 3 days after the glucan diet was fed. Fathead minnows appear to be a useful model to investigate neutrophil degranulation in fish exposed to different environmental conditions and immunomodulators. Use of beta-glucans in fish diets prior to AS and during chronic stress can enhance neutrophil function, potentially increasing disease resistance and survival rates after transportation or exposure to poor water quality.

Static renewal tests using Pimephales promelas (fathead minnows) and Ceriodaphnia dubia (daphnids). Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) pilot study, ambient water toxicity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

1993-12-31

Clinch River-Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) personnel and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) personnel conducted a pilot study during the week of April 22--29, 1993, prior to initiation of CR-ERP Phase 2 Sampling and Analysis activities. The organisms specified for testing were larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Surface water samples were collected by TVA Field Engineering personnel from Clinch River Mile 9.0 and Poplar Creek Kilometer 1.6 on April 21, 23, and 26. Samples were split and provided to the CR-ERP and TVA toxicology laboratories for testing. Exposure of test organisms to these samples resulted in nomore » toxicity (survival, growth, or reproduction) to either species in testing conducted by TVA. Attachments to this report include: Chain of custody forms -- originals; Toxicity test bench sheets and statistical analyses; Reference toxicant test information; and Personnel training documentation.« less

Clinch River - Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) study, Ambient water toxicity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

1997-06-01

Clinch River - Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) personnel and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) personnel conducted a study during the week of January 25-February 1, 1994, as described in the Statement of Work (SOW) document. The organisms specified for testing were larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Surface water samples were collected by TVA Field Engineering personnel from Clinch River Mile 9.0, Poplar Creek Mile 1.0, and Poplar Creek Mile 2.9 on January 24, 26, and 28. Samples were partitioned (split) and provided to the CR-ERP and TVA toxicology laboratories for testing. Exposure of test organisms tomore » these samples resulted in no toxicity (survival or growth) to fathead minnows; however, toxicity to daphnids (significantly reduced reproduction) was demonstrated in undiluted samples from Poplar Creek Mile 1.0 in testing conducted by TVA based on hypothesis testing of data. Point estimation (IC{sub 25}) analysis of the data, however, showed no toxicity in PCM 1.0 samples.« less

Development and evaluation of reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for the detection of the fathead minnow nidovirus.

PubMed

Zhang, Qingli; Standish, Isaac; Winters, Andrew D; Puzach, Corey; Ulferts, Rachel; Ziebuhr, John; Faisal, Mohamed

2014-06-01

Fathead minnow nidovirus (FHMNV) is a serious baitfish-pathogenic virus in North America. Studies to trace the spread of the virus and determine its host range are hampered by the absence of reliable diagnostic assays. In this study, a one-step, reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed that targets a region in the FHMNV spike protein gene. The assay was optimized, and the best results were obtained at 8 mM of Mg(2+) with an incubation time of 40 min at 63 °C in the presence of calcein. The analytical sensitivity of the RT-LAMP method was estimated to be as low as 5 viral copies and was 1000-fold more sensitive than the conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the developed RT-LAMP assay versus the RT-PCR assay was 100% and 95.7%, respectively. A quantitative RT-LAMP of FHMNV with a high correlation coefficient (r(2)=0.9926) was also developed and the result of quantitation of viral copies in tissue samples of infected fish showed that the viral loads of the infected fish tissue samples reached up to 4.7×10(10) copies per mg. It is anticipated that the developed RT-LAMP and quantitative RT-LAMP methods will be instrumental for diagnosis and surveillance of FHMNV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioconcentration of two basic pharmaceuticals, verapamil and clozapine, in fish.

PubMed

Nallani, Gopinath C; Edziyie, Regina E; Paulos, Peter M; Venables, Barney J; Constantine, Lisa A; Huggett, Duane B

2016-03-01

The present study examined the bioconcentration of 2 basic pharmaceuticals: verapamil (a calcium channel blocker) and clozapine (an antipsychotic compound) in 2 fresh water fishes, fathead minnow and channel catfish. In 4 separate bioconcentration factor (BCF) experiments (2 chemicals × 1 exposure concentration × 2 fishes), fathead minnow and channel catfish were exposed to 190 μg/L and 419 μg/L of verapamil (500 μg/L nominal) or 28.5 μg/L and 40 μg/L of clozapine (50 μg/L nominal), respectively. Bioconcentration factor experiments with fathead consisted of 28 d uptake and 14 d depuration, whereas tests conducted on catfish involved a minimized test design, with 7 d each of uptake and depuration. Fish (n = 4-5) were sampled during exposure and depuration to collect different tissues: muscle, liver, gills, kidneys, heart (verapamil tests only), brain (clozapine tests only), and blood plasma (catfish tests only). Verapamil and clozapine concentrations in various tissues of fathead and catfish were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. In general, higher accumulation rates of the test compounds were observed in tissues with higher perfusion rates. Accumulation was also high in tissues relevant to pharmacological targets in mammals (i.e. heart in verapamil test and brain in the clozapine test). Tissue-specific BCFs (wet wt basis) for verapamil and clozapine ranged from 0.7 to 75 and from 31 to 1226, respectively. Tissue-specific concentration data were used to examine tissue-blood partition coefficients. © 2016 SETAC.

Effects of the azole fungicide imazalil on the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) steroidogenesis pathway

EPA Science Inventory

Azole fungicides, used for both agriculture and human therapeutic applications may disrupt endocrine function of aquatic life. Azole fungicides are designed to inhibit the fungal enzyme lanosterol 14 á-demethylase (cytochrome P450 [CYP] 51). However, they can also interact...

A Compendium of Transcriptomic Effects of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals on the Fathead Minnow Ovary

EPA Science Inventory

Understanding potential hazards of chemicals released into the environment is challenging not only due to the large and growing number of chemicals and materials that need to be screened, but also to the bioavailability, exposure conditions, and species differences among others. ...

Assessing Contaminant Sensitivity of Endangered and Threatened Aquatic Species: Part I. Acute Toxicity of Five Chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

Early life-stage toxicity tests with copper and pentachlorophenol (PCP) were conducted with two species listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (fountain darter, Etheostoma fonticola, and spotfin chub, Cyprinella monacha) and two surrogate species (fathead minnow, Pimephales...

Effects of Diethylstilbestrol in Fathead Minnows: Part 1. Effects on Reproductive Endocrine Function

EPA Science Inventory

Diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen, was once widely prescribed to prevent miscarriages, and was used as a growth promoter in feed for beef and poultry production. After it was determined that DES caused significant adverse effects in the offspring of mo...

Non-gel Based Proteomics to Study Steroid Receptor Agonists in the Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Toxicoproteomics is an emerging field that is greatly enabled by non-gel based methods using LC MS/MS for biomarker discovery and characterization for endocrine disrupting chemicals. Using iTRAQ (isobaric tagging for relative and absolute quantitation), we quantified a diverse r...

Transcriptional pathway and de novo network-based approaches to effects-based monitoring in the Great Lakes

EPA Science Inventory

Transcriptomics provides unique solutions for understanding the impact of complex mixtures and their components on aquatic systems. Here we describe the application of transcriptomics analysis of in situ fathead minnow exposures for assessing biological impacts of wastewater trea...

Pathway-based analysis of fish transcriptomics data along effluent gradients in Minnesota rivers

EPA Science Inventory

As part of a larger effort to assess the health of streams and rivers influenced by municipal effluents in Minnesota, fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas; FHM) were exposed to ambient surface waters from three locations. The locations were generally representative of the state: ...

VITELLOGENIN GENE TRANSCRIPTION AS AN INDICATOR OF EXPOSURE TO 17-ALPHA-ETHYNYLESTRADIOL IN FATHEAD MINNOWS

EPA Science Inventory

Environmentally persistent chemicals that functionally mimic estrogen are ubiquitous in surface waters and have been shown to effect reproductive health of species living in these habitats. Toxicant induced transcription of specific genes is a sensitive indicator of exposure and ...

Cloning and initial characterization of nuclear and membrane progesterone receptors in the Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas

EPA Science Inventory

Both native progestagens and synthetic progestins have important effects on reproduction that are mediated through progesterone receptors (PRs). They regulate gamete maturation and can serve as precursors for other steroid hormones in vertebrates and act as reproductive pheromone...

Effects of Diethylstilbestrol in Fathead Minnows: Part 2. Concentrations in Water and Tissues

EPA Science Inventory

Diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen, was once widely prescribed to prevent miscarriages, and was used as a growth promoter in feed for beef and poultry production. After it was determined that DES caused significant adverse effects in the offspring of mot...

Short-term effects of propiconazole on hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal function in the fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Propiconazole is an ergosterol inhibitor commonly used in agriculture and has been detected in aquatic environments. Ergosterol inhibitors decrease fungal growth through effects on 14á-demethylase, a cytochrome P450 (CYP), isoform important for ergosterol biosynthesis. In higher ...

EVALUATION OF EFFECTS OF THE SYNTHETIC ANDROGEN METHYLTESTOSTERONE ON REPRODUCTION IN THE FATHEAD MINNOW

EPA Science Inventory

Various studies have assessed the effects of estrogenic xenobiotics on reproduction and related endpoints in fish. Comparatively less research has been done with chemicals that elicit toxicity through alterations in androgen-mediated processes. The purpose of this study was to ev...

Perturbation of Gene Expression and Steroidogenesis with In vitro Exposure of Fathead Minnow Ovaries to Ketoconazole

EPA Science Inventory

Various chemicals in the environment can disrupt normal endocrine function, including steroid hormone synthesis, causing deleterious effects. Because these compounds can act at different levels of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, their effects can lead to a mixture...

Ra-226 bioaccumulation and growth indices in fish.

PubMed

Shi, Xiaopei; Smith, Richard; Seymour, Colin; Mothersill, Carmel

2017-06-01

To determine the accumulated activity of Ra-226 in fathead minnows fed with environmentally relevant levels of Ra-226 for 5 months in water at 20 °C, and to evaluate the influence of this level of Ra-226 on the growth of fathead minnows. Fathead minnows were fed with fish food containing 10-10,000 mBq/g Ra-226 for 5 months. At the end of the experiment, the fish were sacrificed, flash frozen in liquid nitrogen and kept at -20 °C. Longitudinal sections of 40 μm thickness were cut at the middle of the fish body using a cryostat. The activity of Ra-226 in each section was determined using autoradiography with a nuclear track detector CR-39. According to the weight and the width of the fish, the activity of Ra-226 in the whole fish body could be estimated. In addition, the length and the weight of the fish were measured and the condition factor was calculated to evaluate the growth and fitness of the fish. There is a positive but non-linear relationship between the accumulated activity of Ra-226 in fish body and the concentration of Ra-226 in fish food. The highest activity of Ra-226 accumulated in fish body was found from fish fed with 10,000 mBq/g Ra-226 food. This was calculated as 256.4 ± 49.1 mBq/g, p < 0.05, and the calculated dose rate was 6.2 ± 1.2 mGy/y. For fish fed with food containing lower concentration of Ra-226 (up to 1000 mBq/g), the bioaccumulation of Ra-226 in the body saturated. The Ra-226 concentration factor (CF) for fish was inversely proportional to the Ra-226 activity in food, and the highest CF value was 2.489, obtained from the lowest dietary Ra-226 activity (10 mBq/g). In addition, condition factors (K) of fish in all Ra-226-treated groups were significantly lower than those of the controls. The results show that the bioaccumulation of Ra-226 in fish is not simply related to the dietary Ra-226 activity, and has a saturation value when the dietary activity is low. In addition, the environmental level of Ra-226 in the fish food has a small adverse effect on the growth and fitness of fathead minnows.

Influence of elevated alkalinity and natural organic matter (NOM) on tissue-specific metal accumulation and reproductive performance in fathead minnows during chronic, multi-trophic exposures to a metal mine effluent.

PubMed

Ouellet, Jacob D; Dubé, Monique G; Niyogi, Som

2013-09-01

Metal bioavailability in aquatic organisms is known to be influenced by various water chemistry parameters. The present study examined the influence of alkalinity and natural organic matter (NOM) on tissue-specific metal accumulation and reproductive performance of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) during environmentally relevant chronic exposures to a metal mine effluent (MME). Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) or NOM (as commercial humic acid) were added to a Canadian MME [45 percent process water effluent (PWE)] in order to evaluate whether increases in alkalinity (3-4 fold) or NOM (~1.5-3mg/L dissolved organic carbon) would reduce metal accumulation and mitigate reproductive toxicity in fathead minnows during a 21-day multi-trophic exposure. Eleven metals (barium, boron, cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, rubidium, selenium, and strontium) were elevated in the 45 percent PWE relative to the reference water. Exposure to the unmodified 45 percent PWE resulted in a decrease of fathead minnow egg production (~300 fewer eggs/pair) relative to the unmodified reference water, over the 21-day exposure period. Water chemistry modifications produced a modest decrease in free ion activity of some metals (as shown by MINTEQ, Version 3) in the 45 percent PWE exposure water, but did not alter the metal burden in the treatment-matched larval Chironomus dilutus (the food source of fish during exposure). The tissue-specific metal accumulation increased in fish exposed to the 45 percent PWE relative to the reference water, irrespective of water chemistry modifications, and the tissue metal concentrations were found to be similar between fish in the unmodified and modified 45 percent PWE (higher alkalinity or NOM) treatments. Interestingly however, increased alkalinity and NOM markedly improved fish egg production both in the reference water (~500 and ~590 additional eggs/pair, respectively) and 45 percent PWE treatments (~570 and ~260 additional eggs/pair, respectively), although fecundity over 21 day exposure consistently remained lower in the 45 percent PWE treatment groups relative to the treatment-matched reference groups. Collectively, these findings suggest that metal accumulation caused by chronic 45 percent PWE exposure cannot solely explain the reproductive toxicity in fish, and decrease in food availability (decrease in C. dilutus abundance in 45 percent PWE exposures) might have played a role. In addition, it appears that NaHCO3 or humic acid mitigated reproductive toxicity in fish exposed to 45 percent PWE by their direct beneficial effects on the physiological status of fish. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of food quantity on metal bioaccumulation and reproduction in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) during chronic exposures to a metal mine effluent.

PubMed

Ouellet, Jacob D; Dubé, Monique G; Niyogi, Som

2013-05-01

Metal mine effluents can impact fish in the receiving environment via both direct effects from exposure as well as indirect effects via food web. The main objective of the present study was to assess whether an indirect effect such as reduced food (prey) availability could influence metal accumulation and reproductive capacity in fish during chronic exposure to a metal mine effluent. Breeding pairs of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exposed to either reference water (RW) or an environmentally relevant metal mine effluent [45 percent process water effluent (PWE)] for 21 days and fed either low food quantities [LF (a daily ration of 6-10 percent body weight)] or normal food quantities [NF (a daily ration of 20-30 percent body weight)] in artificial stream systems. Fish in RW treatments were fed Chironomus dilutus larvae cultured in RW (Treatments: RW-NF or RW-LF), while fish in PWE treatments were fed C. dilutus larvae cultured in PWE (Treatments: PWE-NF or PWE-LF). Tissue-specific (gill, liver, gonad and carcass) metal accumulation, egg production, and morphometric parameters in fish were analyzed. Fathead minnows that were exposed to LF rations had significantly smaller body, gonad and liver sizes, and were in a relatively poor condition compared to fathead minnows exposed to NF rations, regardless of the treatment water type (RW or PWE) (two-way ANOVA; p<0.05). Although elevated concentrations of copper, nickel, rubidium, selenium, and thallium were recorded in C. dilutus cultured in PWE, only the concentrations of rubidium, selenium and thallium increased in tissues of fish in PWE treatments. Interestingly though, despite the greater abundance of metal-contaminated food in the PWE-NF treatment, tissue metal accumulation pattern were almost similar between the PWE-NF and PWE-LF treatments, except for higher liver barium, cobalt and manganese concentrations in the latter treatment. This indicated that a higher food ration could help reduce the tissue burden of at least some metals and thereby ameliorate the toxicity of metal-mine effluents in fish. More importantly, cumulative egg production in fish was found to be lowest in the PWE-LF treatment, whereas fish egg production in the PWE-NF treatment was not impacted. Overall, these findings suggest that decreased food abundance could have a greater impact than metal accumulation in target tissues on the reproductive capacity of fish inhabiting metal-mine effluent receiving environments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing contaminant sensitivity of endangered and threatened aquatic species: Part I. Acute toxicity of five chemicals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dwyer, F.J.; Mayer, F.L.; Sappington, L.C.; Buckler, D.R.; Bridges, C.M.; Greer, I.E.; Hardesty, D.K.; Henke, C.E.; Ingersoll, C.G.; Kunz, J.L.; Whites, D.W.; Augspurger, T.; Mount, D.R.; Hattala, K.; Neuderfer, G.N.

2005-01-01

Assessment of contaminant impacts to federally identified endangered, threatened and candidate, and state-identified endangered species (collectively referred to as "listed" species) requires understanding of a species' sensitivities to particular chemicals. The most direct approach would be to determine the sensitivity of a listed species to a particular contaminant or perturbation. An indirect approach for aquatic species would be application of toxicity data obtained from standard test procedures and species commonly used in laboratory toxicity tests. Common test species (fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas; sheepshead minnow, Cyprinodon variegatus; and rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss) and 17 listed or closely related species were tested in acute 96-hour water exposures with five chemicals (carbaryl, copper, 4-nonylphenol, pentachlorophenol, and permethrin) representing a broad range of toxic modes of action. No single species was the most sensitive to all chemicals. For the three standard test species evaluated, the rainbow trout was more sensitive than either the fathead minnow or sheepshead minnow and was equal to or more sensitive than listed and related species 81% of the time. To estimate an LC50 for a listed species, a factor of 0.63 can be applied to the geometric mean LC50 of rainbow trout toxicity data, and more conservative factors can be determined using variance estimates (0.46 based on 1 SD of the mean and 0.33 based on 2 SD of the mean). Additionally, a low- or no-acute effect concentration can be estimated by multiplying the respective LC50 by a factor of approximately 0.56, which supports the United States Environmental Protection Agency approach of multiplying the final acute value by 0.5 (division by 2). When captive or locally abundant populations of listed fish are available, consideration should be given to direct testing. When direct toxicity testing cannot be performed, approaches for developing protective measures using common test species toxicity data are available. ?? 2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

Exposure to the contraceptive progestin, gestodene, alters reproductive behavior, arrests egg deposition, and masculinizes development in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frankel, Tyler E.; Meyer, Michael T.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Gillis, Amanda B.; Alvarez, David A.; Orlando, Edward F.

2016-01-01

Endogenous progestogens and pharmaceutical progestins enter the environment through wastewater treatment plant effluent and agricultural field runoff. Lab studies demonstrate strong, negative exposure effects of these chemicals on aquatic vertebrate reproduction. Behavior can be a sensitive, early indicator of exposure to environmental contaminants associated with altered reproduction yet is rarely examined in ecotoxicology studies. Gestodene is a human contraceptive progestin and a potent activator of fish androgen receptors. Our objective was to test the effects of gestodene on reproductive behavior and associated egg deposition in the fathead minnow. After only 1 day, males exposed to ng/L of gestodene were more aggressive and less interested in courtship and mating, and exposed females displayed less female courtship behavior. Interestingly, 25% of the gestodene tanks contained a female that drove the male out of the breeding tile and displayed male-typical courtship behaviors toward the other female. Gestodene decreased or arrested egg deposition with no observed gonadal histopathology. Together, these results suggest that effects on egg deposition are primarily due to altered reproductive behavior. The mechanisms by which gestodene disrupts behavior are unknown. Nonetheless, the rapid and profound alterations of the reproductive biology of gestodene-exposed fish suggest that wild populations could be similarly affected.

Recovery of a wild fish population from whole-lake additions of a synthetic estrogen.

PubMed

Blanchfield, Paul J; Kidd, Karen A; Docker, Margaret F; Palace, Vince P; Park, Brad J; Postma, Lianne D

2015-03-03

Despite widespread recognition that municipal wastewaters contain natural and synthetic estrogens, which interfere with development and reproduction of fishes in freshwaters worldwide, there are limited data on the extent to which natural populations of fish can recover from exposure to these compounds. We conducted whole-lake additions of an active component of the birth control pill (17α-ethynylestradiol; EE2) that resulted in the collapse of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) population. Here we quantify physiological, population, and genetic characteristics of this population over the 7 years after EE2 additions stopped to determine if complete recovery was possible. By 3 years post-treatment, whole-body vitellogenin concentrations in male fathead minnow had returned to baseline, and testicular abnormalities were absent. In the spring of the fourth year, adult size-frequency distribution and abundance had returned to pretreatment levels. Microsatellite analyses clearly showed that postrecovery fish were descendants of the original EE2-treated population. Results from this whole-lake experiment demonstrate that fish can recover from EE2 exposure at the biochemical through population levels, although the timelines to do so are long for multigenerational exposures. These results suggest that wastewater treatment facilities that reduce discharges of estrogens and their mimics can improve the health of resident fish populations in their receiving environments.

Atrazine reduces reproduction in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillitt, D.E.; Papoulias, D.M.; Whyte, J.J.; Richter, C.A.

2010-01-01

Atrazine, the widely used herbicide, has shown to affect the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis in certain vertebrate species, but few studies have examined reproductive effects of this chemical on fish. Our study was designed to evaluate a population endpoint (egg production) in conjunction with histological (e.g., gonad development) and biochemical (e.g., hormone production) phenotypes associated with atrazine exposure in fathead minnows. Adult virgin breeding groups of 1 male and 2 females were exposed to nominal concentrations of 0, 0.5, 5.0, and 50 ??g/L of atrazine in a flow-through diluter for 14 or 30 days. Total egg production was lower (19-39%) in all atrazine-exposed groups as compared to the controls. The decreases in cumulative egg production of atrazine treated fish were significant by 17-20 days of exposure. Reductions in egg production in atrazine treatment groups were most attributable to reduced numbers of spawning events with increased atrazine exposure concentrations. Gonad abnormalities were observed in both male and female fish of atrazine-exposed fish. Our results also indicate that atrazine reduces egg production through alteration of final maturation of oocytes. The reproductive effects observed in this study warrant further investigation and evaluation of the potential risks posed by atrazine, particularly feral populations of fish from streams in agricultural areas with high use of this herbicide. ?? 2010.

Meeting in China: Differential Toxicity and Accumulation of Fipronil Enantiomers in the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Fipronil is a chiral insecticide applied as a racemate with two enantiomers. Because of its high log KOC, fipronil will be found primarily in sediments of aquatic environments. Although a number of studies have examined toxicity in aquatic invertebrates, data on enantioselective...

Differential Toxicity and Accumulation of Fipronil Enantiomers in the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Fipronil is a chiral insecticide applied as a racemate of two enantiomers. Because of its high log Koc, fipronil will be found primarily in sediments of aquatic environments. Although a number of studies have examined toxicity in aquatic invertebrates, data on enantioselective t...

METABOLISM OF PBDES IN FATHEAD MINNOWS (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) AND EFFECTS ON THYROID REGULATION

EPA Science Inventory

PBDE effects on fish and other wildlife continue to be poorly understood, and this research will contribute to filling this data gap. It will increase our understanding of PBDE metabolic pathways and mechanisms of thyroid dysfunction in fish exposed to this important class of ...

DIETARY UPTAKE KINETICS OF 2,2', 5, 5'-TETRACHLOROBIPHENYL IN RAINBOW TROUT

EPA Science Inventory

The disposition of 2,2',5,5'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was studied in dietary exposures with live prey. Trout were fed TCB-dosed fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas; 4% of body wt) containing whole-body residues of 244 (low dose) or 1663 (h...

Pathway-based Analysis of Fish Transcriptomics Data across Effluent Gradients in Minnesota Rivers

EPA Science Inventory

As part of a larger effort to assess the health of streams and rivers in Minnesota, a series of caged fish experiments were conducted in three locations: Ely, Hutchinson, and Rochester. The experimental design placed caged fish (fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas; FHM) across ...

Arsenic Toxicity to Juvenile Fish: Effects of Exposure Route, Arsenic Speciation, and Fish Species

EPA Science Inventory

Arsenic toxicity to juvenile rainbow trout and fathead minnows was evaluated in 28-day tests using both dietborne and waterborne exposures, both inorganic and organic arsenic species, and both a live diet and an arsenic-spiked pellet diet. Effects of inorganic arsenic on rainbow...

Evaluation of arsenic speciation in rainbow trout and fathead minnows from dietary exposure

EPA Science Inventory

The concentration of total arsenic and various arsenic species were measured in food and fish tissue samples from two dietary arsenic exposures to juvenile fish. For arsenic speciation, samples were extracted with 10% MeOH and analyzed by HPLC/ICPMS. Total arsenic concentration...

Effects of Copper, Cadmium, Lead, and Arsenic in a Live Diet on Juvenile Fish Growth

EPA Science Inventory

The effects of dietborne copper, cadmium, lead, and arsenic on juvenile fish were evaluated using a live diet consisting of the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus. In 30-d exposures, no effects on growth and survival of rainbow trout, fathead minnow, and channel catfish were obs...

In vivo and in vitro neurochemical-based assessments of wastewater effluents from the Maumee River area of concern.

EPA Science Inventory

Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were caged for four days at multiple locations upstream and downstream of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharge into the Maumee River (USA, OH). Grab water samples collected at the same location were extracted using several different ...

Effects of Xenoestrogen and Androgen Mixtures on Ovarian Transcriptome of the Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as the estrogens ethinylestradiol (EE2) and bisphenol A (BPA), and androgens like 17â-trenbolone (TRB) can occur as mixtures in aquatic environments. To date, however, most studies with EDCs in fish have focused on their effects as indi...

Evaluation of Sex-specific Responses to Trenbolone Acetate Metabolites in Early Life-stage Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas) Using Molecular Tools

EPA Science Inventory

The occurrence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in concentrated animal feed operation (CAFO) waste, and the potential effects of these chemicals on aquatic ecosystems have been of recent concern, especially in large agricultural regions. Currently, little is known concer...

USE OF SURROGATE SPECIES IN ASSESSING CONTAMINANT RISK TO ENDANGERED AND THREATENED FISHES

EPA Science Inventory

Surrogate species used in toxicity assessments must be carefully selected in order to be protective of listed species. At present, the rainbow trout is considered to be an acceptable surrogate for coldwater fishes. Similarly, the fathead minnow is considered to be an acceptable s...

Do environmental factors affect male fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) response to estrone? Part 2. Temperature and food availability

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In nature, fish are subject to constantly changing environmental conditions and limitations on food availability, potentially impacting their response to endocrine disruptors. Outcome discrepancies between field studies and laboratory exposures of endocrine disruptors may be a result of these condi...

High-resolution Mass Spectrometry of Skin Mucus for Monitoring Physiological Impacts in Fish Exposed to Wastewater Effluent at a Great Lakes AOC

EPA Science Inventory

High-resolution mass spectrometry is advantageous for monitoring physiological impacts and contaminant biotransformation products in fish exposed to complex wastewater effluent. We evaluated this technique using skin mucus from male and female fathead minnows (Pimephales promela...

Quantitative Proteomic Profiles of Androgen Receptor Signaling in the Liver of Fathead Minnows Pimephalus promelas

EPA Science Inventory

Androgenic chemicals are present in the environment at concentrations that impair reproductive processes in fish. The objective of this experiment was to identify proteins altered by an androgen receptor agonist (17â-trenbolone) and antagonist (flutamide) in the liver. Female fa...

Use of NMR-based Metabolite Profiling to Study Responses of Fathead Minnows Exposed to the Potent Androgen 17β-trenbolone

EPA Science Inventory

Exposure of organisms in aquatic ecosystems to chemicals which possess endocrine disrupting properties can produce numerous detrimental effects. Furthermore, due to the potency of these chemicals, even relatively low level exposures can reduce fitness. As a result, classical expo...

Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Triclocarban in a Short-term Reproduction Assay with the Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas

EPA Science Inventory

Triclocarban, commercially known as TCC, is a trichlorinated pesticide used extensively as an antimicrobial additive in personal care products. TCC is characterized as a high production volume chemical and recent monitoring programs have shown it is prevalent in aquatic environme...

PERSISTENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF AZINPHOS-METHYL FOLLOWING APPLICATION TO LITTORAL ENCLOSURE MESOCOSMS

EPA Science Inventory

The organophosphorus insecticide azinphos-methyl was applied once to the surface of 12 of 18 littoral enclosure mesocosms (5 x 10m) constructed in a 2-ha pond near Duluth, Minnesota. Water, sediment, macrophytes, and adult fathead minnows were analyzed for residue to determine th...

Expression Signatures for a Model Androgen and Antiandrogen in the Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas Ovary

EPA Science Inventory

Trenbolone and flutamide are prototypical model compounds for respectively androgen and antiandrogen modes of action. Trenbolone is an anabolic steroid used in cattle industry to increase weight gain and feed efficiency, and flutamide is a pharmaceutical used to treat prostate c...

Caught in a Network: Recovery from Aromatase Inhibition

EPA Science Inventory

Fadrozole is an inhibitor of aromatase, an enzyme critical to estrogen synthesis. We exposed female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas, FHM) to 0 or 30 ug/L fadrozole for 8 days, and fish were then held in clean water for 8 extra days. We analyzed ex vivo steroid production, pl...

Use of Microarray to Analyze Gene Expression Profiles of Acute Effects of Prochloraz on Fathead Minnows Pimephales promelas

EPA Science Inventory

Microarray technology is a powerful tool to investigate the gene expression profiles for thousands of genes simultaneously. In recent years, microarrays have been used to characterize environmental pollutants and identify molecular mode(s) of action of chemicals including endocri...

Effects of a model 3B-hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenas Inhibitor, Trilostane, on Reproductive Endocrine Function in the Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Inhibition of enzymes involved in the synthesis of sex steroids can substantially impact developmental and reproductive processes controlled by the hypothalmic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. A key steroidogenic enzyme that has received little attention from a toxicological perspec...

Determining the effects of ammonia on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproduction

EPA Science Inventory

Aquatic organisms are exposed to a multitude of contaminants and to fully understand the impact of multiple stressors on fish populations, we should first understand the mechanism of action for each toxicant and how the combined effects manifest at the level of the individual. Am...

Sensitivity of the vitellogenin assay: ability to discriminate among exposure concentrations in adult fathead minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Vitellogenin is often used to infer exposure of an organism to estrogenic substances. Vitellogenin gene induction and protein levels increase, up to a point, with concentration of estrogen and duration of exposure. A biomarker such as vitellogenin should exhibit sufficient sens...

DIFFERENTIAL DISPLAY OF TRENBOLONE AND DEHP INDUCED GENE TRANSCRIPT PATTERNS IN FATHEAD MINNOW LIVER

EPA Science Inventory

The endocrine disruptor risk assessment process is being delayed without more robust data on the estrogenic and androgenic activity of chemicals found in the environment such as trenbolone and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Trenbolone is an androgenic compound known to reduc...

VITELLOGENIN GENE EXPRESSION IN MALE FATHEAD MINNOWS EXPOSED TO DI(2-ETHYLHEXYL)PHTHALATE

EPA Science Inventory

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer used extensively in the plastics industry. DEHP has been shown to be ubiquitous in the environment and has been detected in ground and surface waters, sediment sludge and at several Superfund sites. Previous studies using rats ...

MOLECULAR, PROTEIN AND HISTOLOGICAL INDICATORS IN FATHEAD MINNOWS EXPOSEDF TO EE2 IN A WHOLE-LAKE DOSING EXPERIMENT

EPA Science Inventory

A whole-lake endocrine disruption experiment was conducted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA), northwestern Ontario from 2001 to 2003. This experiment examined population, organism, biochemical and cellular-level effects in lake trout, white suck...

VITELLOGENIN GENE EXPRESSION IN FATHEAD MINNOWS EXPOSED TO EE2 IN A WHOLE LAKE DOSING EXPERIMENT

EPA Science Inventory

A whole-lake endocrine disruption experiment was conducted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA), northwestern Ontario in 2001 and 2002. This experiment examined population, organism, biochemical and cellular-level effects in lake trout, white sucke...

Pathway level impacts of in situ exposure of fathead minnow to effluent mixtures in the Duluth harbor

EPA Science Inventory

There is a major effort to characterize the potential adverse effects of effluents released from sewage treatment plants in North America. At many locations pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, and other chemicals of emerging concerns are present in the environment at concentra...

Developmental Effects Of A Municipal Wastewater Effluent On Two Generations Of The Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas

EPA Science Inventory

Municipal wastewater effluents have been shown to contain a variety of anthropogenic compounds, many of which are know to display estrogenic properties. While multiple laboratory studies have shown the effects of such compounds on an individual basis at elevated concentrations, ...

Do environmental factors affect male fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) response to estrone? Part 1. Dissolved oxygen and sodium chloride

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Laboratory exposures indicate that estrogens and their mimics can cause endocrine disruption in male fishes. Studies of resident fish populations in estrogen-polluted waters support these findings, yet biomarker expression associated with exposure to estrogenic endocrine disruptors often differs dra...

Effects of Cholesterol-altering Pharmaceuticals on Cholesterol Metabolism, Steroidogenesis, and Gene Expression in the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Pharmaceuticals that target cholesterol biosynthesis and uptake are among the most widely prescribed drugs and have been detected in the aquatic environment. Fibrates are a class of pharmaceuticals that indirectly modulate cholesterol biosynthesis through effects on peroxisome pr...

Sex Differentiation as a Target of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Early Life Stage Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

The occurrence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in concentrated animal feed operation (CAFO) waste, and the potential effects of these chemicals on aquatic ecosystems have been of recent concern. There is evidence that exposure to EDCs during enhanced windows of sensitiv...

Dynamic Nature of Alterations in the Endocrine System of Fathead Minnows Exposed to the Fungicide Prochloraz, Presentation

EPA Science Inventory

The vertebrate hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis is controlled through various feedback mechanisms that ideally serve to maintain a dynamic homeostasis of the system in the face of changing environmental conditions, including exposure to chemical stressors. In these stud...

An Individual-based Model for Extrapolating Standard Toxicity Test Data into Population-level Adverse Outcomes in the Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

While environmental toxicity testing typically focuses on organism-level endpoints such as mortality, growth, and reproduction, risk assessment guidelines specify protection goals at the level of the population and above. One method of linking these different levels of biological...

Pathway-based approaches for assessment of real-time exposure to an estrogenic wastewater treatment plant effluent on fathead minnow reproduction

EPA Science Inventory

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are known contributors of chemical mixtures into the environment. Of particular concern are endocrine-disrupting compounds, such as estrogens, that can affect hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function in exposed organisms. The presen...

Effects of Fadrozole, Ketoconazole, and 17β-trenbolone on Ex Vivo Steroidogenesis in the Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

A variety of endocrine-disrupting chemicals have the ability to disrupt steroidogenesis through interaction with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. We examined the effects of the competitive aromatase inhibitor fadrozole (0, 3, and 30 g/L), the cytochrome P450 enzyme...

How consistent are we? Inter-laboratory comparison for male fathead minnows exposed to 17α-ethinylestradiol

EPA Science Inventory

Transcriptomic approaches are widely used to examine effects of aquatic contaminants in both laboratory and field studies. Fundamental questions remain however for defining the limits of the technology and how it may be used in environmental monitoring programs. Uncertainties exi...

Temporal Evaluation of Effects of a Model 3B-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Inhibitor on Endocrine Function in the Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Inhibition of enzymes involved in the synthesis of sex steroids can substantially impact developmental and reproductive processes controlled by the hypothalmic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. A key steroidogenic enzyme that has received little attention from a toxicological perspe...

THE INSTABILITY OF ESTROGENIC CHEMICALS DURING LABORATORY STATIC EXPOSURE CONDITIONS WITH MALE FATHEAD MINNOWS

EPA Science Inventory

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as Para-nonylphenol (NP), estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), estriol (E3) and ethynylestradiol (EE2) are shown to be ubiquitous in surface waters, sediments and sludge. These EDCs are known to induce vitellogenin gene (Vg) expression in male...

Enantioselective toxicity and bioaccumulation of fipronil in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) following water and sediment exposures

EPA Science Inventory

Fipronil is a widely used, broad-spectrum pesticide that is applied as an equal mixture of two enantiomers. As regulations on older pesticides become more stringent, production and application of fipronil is expected to grow, leading to increased inputs into aquatic environments ...

Isolation and molecular characterization of a novel picornavirus from baitfish in the USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phelps, Nicholas B.D.; Mor, Sunil K.; Armien, Anibal G.; Batts, William N.; Goodwin, Andrew E.; Hopper, Lacey; McCann, Rebekah; Ng, Terry Fei Fan; Puzach, Corey; Waltzek, Thomas B.; Delwart, Eric; Winton, James; Goyal, Sagar M.

2014-01-01

During both regulatory and routine surveillance sampling of baitfish from the states of Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, and Wisconsin, USA, isolates (n = 20) of a previously unknown picornavirus were obtained from kidney/spleen or entire viscera of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and brassy minnows (Hybognathus hankinsoni). Following the appearance of a diffuse cytopathic effect, examination of cell culture supernatant by negative contrast electron microscopy revealed the presence of small, round virus particles (∼30–32 nm), with picornavirus-like morphology. Amplification and sequence analysis of viral RNA identified the agent as a novel member of the Picornaviridae family, tentatively named fathead minnow picornavirus (FHMPV). The full FHMPV genome consisted of 7834 nucleotides. Phylogenetic analysis based on 491 amino acid residues of the 3D gene showed 98.6% to 100% identity among the 20 isolates of FHMPV compared in this study while only 49.5% identity with its nearest neighbor, the bluegill picornavirus (BGPV) isolated from bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). Based on complete polyprotein analysis, the FHMPV shared 58% (P1), 33% (P2) and 43% (P3) amino acid identities with BGPV and shared less than 40% amino acid identity with all other picornaviruses. Hence, we propose the creation of a new genus (Piscevirus) within the Picornaviridae family. The impact of FHMPV on the health of fish populations is unknown at present.

Effects of the anti-microbial, triclocarban, on the reproductive function and ovarian transcriptome of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Triclocarban (TCC) is a widely used antimicrobial agent that is routinely detected in surface waters. The present study was designed to examine TCC’s efficacy and mode of action as a reproductive toxicant in fish. Reproductively mature Pimephales promelas were continuously ...

EVALUATION OF PILOT TREATMENT EFFLUENTS FROM SUMMITVILLE MINE, CO, USING CERIODAPHNIA DUBIA, FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS), AND RAINBOW TROUT (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS) TOXICITY TESTS

EPA Science Inventory

As part of a Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency evaluated a remediation technology at the Summitville Mine Superfund site in southern Colorado. The technology evaluated was a successive alkalinity producing system ...

Impaired swim bladder inflation in early-life stage fathead minnows exposed to a deiodinase inhibitor, iopanoic acid (article)

EPA Science Inventory

The present study investigated whether inhibition of deiodinase, the enzyme which converts thyroxine (T4) to the more biologically-active form, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), would impact inflation of the posterior and/or anterior chamber of the swim bladder, processes previously ...

Impaired swim bladder inflation in early-life stage fathead minnows exposed to a deiodinase inhibitor, iopanoic acid (presentation)

EPA Science Inventory

The present study investigated whether inhibition of deiodinase, the enzyme which converts thyroxine (T4) to the more biologically-active form, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), would impact inflation of the posterior and/or anterior chamber of the swim bladder, processes previously ...

A novel framework for interpretation of data from the fish short-term reproduction assay (FSTRA) for the detection of endocrined-disrupting chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

The fish short term reproduction assay (FSTRA) is a key component of the USEPA endocrine disruptor screening program (EDSP). The FSTRA considers several mechanistic and apical responses in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to determine whether an unknown chemical is likely to...

A novel framework for interpretation of data from the fish short-term reproduction assay (FSTRA) for the detection of endocrine-disrupting chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

The fish short term reproduction assay (FSTRA) is a key component of the USEPA endocrine disruptor screening program (EDSP). The FSTRA considers several mechanistic and apical responses in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to determine whether an unknown chemical is likely t...

Predicting fecundity of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed toeEndocrine-disrupting chemicals using a MATLAB®-based model of oocyte growth dynamics

EPA Science Inventory

Fish spawning is often used as an integrated measure of reproductive toxicity, and an indicator of aquatic ecosystem health in the context of forecasting potential population-level effects considered important for ecological risk assessment. Consequently, there is a need for fle...

Mixtures of 17â-trenbolone with Ethinylestradiol or Bisphenol A Altered Tubercle Formation and Steroid Production in the Fathead Minnow

EPA Science Inventory

The xenoestrogens, ethinylestradiol (EE2) and bisphenol A (BPA), and the androgen 17â-trenbolone (TRB) are examples of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) commonly detected in the environment. All have been shown to affect fish reproductive endocrinology individually, but littl...

Evidence for Compensatory Responses at the Molecular, Biochemical, and Tissue Level in Fathead Minnows Exposed to Steroidogenesis Inhibitors

EPA Science Inventory

In order to survive, organisms require a capacity to adapt to a wide variety of biotic and abiotic stressors, including chemicals of both natural and synthetic origin. Recent studies in our laboratory have provided evidence of compensatory responses to endocrine active chemicals...

Compensatory response of fathead minnow larve following a pulsed in-situ exposure to a seasonal agricultural runoff event

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agriculturally-dominated waterways such as those found throughout the Midwestern United States often experience seasonal pulses of agrichemical contaminants which pose a potential hazard to aquatic organisms at varying life stages. The objective of this study was to characterize the developmental pl...

Metabolomics for in situ environmental monitoring of surface waters impacted by contaminants from both point and non-point sources

EPA Science Inventory

We investigated the efficacy of metabolomics for field-monitoring of fish exposed to waste water treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and non-point sources of chemical contamination. Lab-reared male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas, FHM) were held in mobile monitoring units and e...

A field-based approach for assessing the impact of paper pulp mill effluent on the metbolite profile of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Although evidence indicates that exposure to effluent from paper pulp mills (PME) can alter the body condition, secondary sexual characteristics, and reproductive success of aquatic organisms, there is currently little understanding of the biochemical mechanisms for these effects...

RECOMBINANT ANDROGEN RECEPTOR (AR) BINDING ACROSS VERTEBRATE SPECIES: COMPARISON OF BINDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPOUNDS TO HUMAN, RAINBOW TROUT AND FATHEAD MINNOW AR.

EPA Science Inventory

In vitro screening assays designed to identify androgen mimics or antagonists typically use mammalian (rat, human) androgen receptors (AR). Although the amino acid sequences of receptors from nonmammalian vertebrates are not identical to the mammalian receptors, it is uncertain ...

A COMPARISON OF THE LETHAL AND SUBLETHAL TOXICITY OF ORGANIC CHEMICAL MIXTURES TO THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

This study was designed to define the degree of concentration addition found for mixtures of certain xenobiotics that are thought to act through a similar or different mode of toxic action for the acute mortality and sublethal growth toxicity endpoints, and for a freshwater fish ...

Gene expression results

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

qPCR results for VitellogeninThis dataset is associated with the following publication:Armstrong, B., J. Lazorchak , K. Jensen , H. Haring , M.E. Smith, R. Flick , D. Bencic , and A. Biales. Reproductive effects in fathead minnows (Pimphales promelas) following a 21 d exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol. CHEMOSPHERE. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 144(1): 366-373, (2015).

Impacts of WWTP Effluents on the Hepatic Metabolome of Male and Female Fathead Minnows in the South Platte River, Colorado

EPA Science Inventory

Metabolomics is rapidly becoming established as an eefective tool for studying the responses of organisms, such as fish, to various environmentally relevant stressors. While the majority of the work has been laboratory-based, successful application of the technique in recent year...

AROMATASE-B (CYP 19B) EXPRESSION IN FATHEAD MINNOWS (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) EXPOSED TO PERFLUOROOCTANE (PFOS) AND THE AROMATASE INHIBITOR FADROZOLE

EPA Science Inventory

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a fluorinated organic contaminant that is globally distributed in both humans and wildlife. PFOS belongs to a family of perfluorinated sulfonates that are highly persistent in the environment and have been commercially produced for over 40 year...

DIFFERENCES IN THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF FATHEAD MINNOW AND HUMAN ERA: IMPLICATIONS FOR IN VITRO TESTING OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS

EPA Science Inventory

Mammalian receptors and assay systems are generally used for in vitro analysis of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) with the assumption that minor differences in amino acid sequences among species do not translate into significant differences in receptor function. We have fou...

Integrated approach to explore the mechanisms of aromatase inhibition and recovery in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Aromatase, a member of the cytochrome P450 superfamily, is a key enzyme in estradiol synthesis that catalyzes the aromatization of androgens into estrogens in ovaries. Here, we used an integrated approach to assess the mechanistic basis of the direct effects of aromatase inhibiti...

Evaluation of the Methoxytriazine Herbicide Prometon Using a Short-term Fathead Minnow Reproduction Test and a Suite of in vitro Bioassays

EPA Science Inventory

This study used an array of in vitro bioassays to assess whether prometon, atraton, terbumeton, or secbumeton might act as potent (ant)agonists of the aryl hydrocarbon, estrogen, androgen, or glucocorticoid receptors and whether they might act as aromatase inhibitors or inducers ...

Prioritization of contaminants of emerging concern in wastewater treatment plant discharges using chemical: Gene interactions in caged fish

EPA Science Inventory

We examined whether contaminants present in surface waters could be prioritized for further assessment by linking the presence of specific chemicals to gene expression changes in exposed fish. Fathead minnows were deployed in cages for 2, 4, or 8 days at three locations near two ...

Sensitivity of the vitellogenin assay to diagnose exposure of fathead minnows to 17α-ethynylestradiol

EPA Science Inventory

Vitellogenin is frequently used as a biomarker of exposure to environmental estrogens. When designing an experiment using vitellogenin, investigators must decide whether to deploy fish in the field or expose fish in the lab, how many fish to expose, and how long to expose the fi...

Comparative Biological Effects and Potency of 17a- and 17ß-Estradiol In Fathead Minnows

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

17ß-estradiol is the most potent natural estrogen commonly found in anthropogenically altered environments and has been the focus of many toxicological laboratory studies. However, fewer aquatic toxicological data on the effects of 17a-estradiol, a diastereoisomer of 17ß-estradiol, exists in the li...

A short-term study investigating the estrogenic potency of diethylstilbesterol in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a synthetic estrogen that has been banned for use in humans, but still is employed in livestock and aquaculture operations in some parts of the world. Detectable concentrations of DES in effluent and surface waters have been reported to range from slig...

RELATIONSHIPS OF QUANTITATIVE STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY TO COMPARATIVE TOXICITY OF SELECTED PHENOLS IN THE 'PIMEPHALES PROMELAS' AND 'TETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS' TEST SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

The relative toxic response of 27 selected phenols in the 96-hr acute flowthrough Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) and the 48- to 60-hr chronic static Tetrahymena pyriformis (ciliate protozoan) test systems was evaluated. Log Kow-dependent linear regression analyses revealed ...

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF ELISAS FOR DETECTING VITELLOGENIN IN THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)- A RESPONSE TO TYLER ET AL

EPA Science Inventory

Measurement of vitellogenin (VTG) in fish is rapidly moving from being an endpoint of concern mostly to reproductive physiology/endocrinology, to an endpoint on which international regulatory decision-making could well be based. Changes in VTG are of particular utility for the id...

Characterization of tlr-4 in fathead minnow challenged with columnaris (flavobacterium columnare) in an ultra-low flow system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Columnaris disease, caused by the bacteria Flavobacterium columnare, is one of the most serious bacterial infections affecting the aquaculture industry today. Columnaris is transmitted horizontally from fish to fish. The disease is highly contagious and may be spread through contaminated nets, speci...

Physiological responses of fathead minnow larvae to rice pesticides.

PubMed

Heath, A G; Cech, J J; Brink, L; Moberg, P; Zinkl, J G

1997-08-01

Newly hatched fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) larvae were exposed for 4 days to two pesticides and ambient receiving waters to simulate conditions in the Sacramento River, California, during the striped bass spawning season which coincides with pesticide use in adjacent rice culture. Carbofuran and molinate were tested at two concentrations: a higher level approximating one-half the LC50 and a level much lower that is similar to that seen in the receiving waters of Colusa Basin Drain. Physiological measurements were made immediately after the exposures and again after a 10-day recovery period in noncontaminated waters. These included growth rate, swimming capacity, response to a mild electric shock, upper and lower lethal temperatures, and activity of acetylcholinesterase in whole-body homogenates. The higher concentrations of carbofuran and molinate caused reductions in swimming capacity, an increased sensitivity to the electric shock, and a reduction in upper lethal temperature. Acetylcholinesterase was reduced in those larvae exposed to the higher levels of carbofuran. In general, the lower levels of pesticide exposure caused no measureable effects nor did exposure to water from Colusa Basin Drain.

Cavallin et al 2016

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Adult fathead minnows were exposed to dilutions of a historically estrogenic wastewater treatment plant effluent in a 21-d reproduction study. This dataset is comprised of a variety of endpoints representing key events along adverse outcome pathways linking estrogen receptor activation and other molecular initiating events to reproductive impairment. This study demonstrates the value of using an integrative approach that encompasses analytical chemistry, in vitro bioassays, and in vivo apical and pathway-based approaches with endpoints spanning from molecular- (e.g., gene expression) to organismal- (e.g., reproduction) levels of biological organization to help infer causal relationships between chemistry and potential effects on reproduction.This dataset is associated with the following publication:Cavallin , J., K. Jensen , M. Kahl , D. Villeneuve , K. Lee, A. Schroeder , J. Mayasich, E. Eid, K. Nelson, R. Milsk, B. Blackwell, J. Berninger , C. LaLone, C. Blanksma, T. Jicha , C. Elonen , R. Johnson , and G. Ankley. Pathway-based approaches for assessment of real-time exposure to an estrogenic wastewater treatment plant effluent on fathead minnow reproduction. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pensacola, FL, USA, 35(3): 702-716, (2016).

Anthropogenic tracers, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and endocrine disruption in Minnesota lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Writer, J.H.; Barber, L.B.; Brown, G.K.; Taylor, Howard E.; Kiesling, R.L.; Ferrey, M.L.; Jahns, N.D.; Bartell, S.E.; Schoenfuss, H.L.

2010-01-01

Concentrations of endocrine disrupting chemicals and endocrine disruption in fish were determined in 11 lakes across Minnesota that represent a range of trophic conditions and land uses (urban, agricultural, residential, and forested) and in which wastewater treatment plant discharges were absent. Water, sediment, and passive polar organic integrative samplers (POCIS) were analyzed for steroidal hormones, alkylphenols, bisphenol A, and other organic and inorganic molecular tracers to evaluate potential non-point source inputs into the lakes. Resident fish from the lakes were collected, and caged male fathead minnows were deployed to evaluate endocrine disruption, as indicated by the biological endpoints of plasma vitellogenin and gonadal histology. Endocrine disrupting chemicals, including bisphenol A, 17??-estradiol, estrone, and 4-nonylphenol were detected in 90% of the lakes at part per trillion concentrations. Endocrine disruption was observed in caged fathead minnows and resident fish in 90% of the lakes. The widespread but variable occurrence of anthropogenic chemicals in the lakes and endocrine disruption in fish indicates that potential sources are diverse, not limited to wastewater treatment plant discharges, and not entirely predictable based on trophic status and land use. ?? 2010.

Effects of dietary methylmercury on reproduction of fathead minnows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hammerschmidt, C.R.; Sandheinrich, M.B.; Wiener, J.G.; Rada, R.G.

2002-01-01

We examined effects of dietary methylmercury (MeHg) on reproduction of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Juvenile fish were fed one of four diets until sexual maturity (phase 1): a control diet (0.06 μg Hg g-1 dry weight) and three diets contaminated with MeHg at 0.88 (low), 4.11 (medium), and 8.46 μg Hg g-1 dry weight (high). At sexual maturity, male and female fish were paired, again fed one of the four diets, and allowed to reproduce (phase 2). To assess effects of MeHg during gametogenesis, some fish were fed diets during phase 2 that differed from those during phase 1. Spawning success of pairs fed the same diet during phases 1 and 2 was 75% for controls and 46%, 50%, and 36% for the low-, medium-, and high-MeHg treatments, respectively. Spawning success of pairs fed a contaminated diet during phase 1 and a control diet during phase 2 was 63%, 40%, and 14% for the low-, medium-, and high-MeHg treatments, respectively, whereas exposure to dietary MeHg only during phase 2 did not reduce spawning success. Dietary MeHg delayed spawning, and days to spawning was positively correlated with concentration of total mercury in the carcasses of test fish. MeHg reduced the instantaneous rate of reproduction of fish fed the same diets during phases 1 and 2. Both the gonadosomatic index and reproductive effort of female fish were inversely correlated with mercury in carcasses, whereas developmental and hatching success of embryos, 7-d survival, and 7-d growth of larvae were unrelated to mercury concentrations in parental fish or their diets. MeHg decreased reproduction of adult fathead minnows at dietary concentrations encountered by predatory fishes in aquatic systems with MeHg-contaminated food webs, implying that exposed fish populations could be adversely affected by this widespread contaminant.

The use of field-based mesocosm systems to assess the effects of uranium milling effluent on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproduction.

PubMed

Driessnack, Melissa K; Dubé, Monique G; Rozon-Ramilo, Lisa D; Jones, Paul D; Wiramanaden, Cheryl I E; Pickering, Ingrid J

2011-08-01

Northern Saskatchewan, Canada is home to a uranium milling operation that discharges a complex milling effluent containing nutrients, cations and anions, and many metals including selenium (Se). Se has the potential to accumulate in a system even when water concentrations are low. This study evaluated the effects of treated uranium milling effluent and contaminated sediment in combination and in isolation to determine the contribution and importance of each source to fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproduction and survival. Trios of fathead minnows were allocated to one of four treatments for 21-days where the following were evaluated; survival (adult and 5 day larval), larval deformities, reproductive effects (egg production, spawning events) and metal tissue burdens (muscle, gonad, eggs and larvae). In addition Se speciation analysis was conducted on fish tissues. Effects were solely effluent-mediated with little contribution observed due to the presence of contaminated sediments. The contaminated sediments tested were taken from the actual receiving environment and represented the sediment composition found in greatest abundance. Results showed egg production significantly increased in the effluent treatments compared to the reference water treatments. Although egg production increased following effluent exposure, there was reduced hatching and larval survival and a significant increase in skeletal deformities in 5 day old larvae. Despite these effects on the offspring, when examined in an integrated manner relative to increased egg production, the mean number of normal larvae did not differ among treatments. Total selenium significantly increased in the effluent exposed, algae, female muscle, gonad, eggs and larvae in addition to other metals. A shift in the proportion of species of selenium was evident with changing exposure conditions. Biofilm/algae was key in the transfer of available Se into the food chain from the water and a source of direct dietary exposure in fish and possibly invertebrates.

Effects of a homologous series of linear alcohol ethoxylate surfactants on fathead minnow early life stages.

PubMed

Lizotte, R E; Wong, D C; Dorn, P B; Rodgers, J H

1999-11-01

Effects of a homologous series of three primarily linear alcohol ethoxylate surfactants were studied in laboratory flow-through 28-day early-life-stage tests with fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas Rafinesque). Surfactants were a C(9-11), C(12-13), and C(14-15) with an average of 6, 6.5, and 7 ethylene oxide units per mole of alcohol, respectively. Average measured surfactant recoveries were 103%, 81%, and 79% of nominal concentrations for the C(9-11) EO 6, C(12-13) EO 6.5, and C(14-15) EO 7 studies, respectively. Embryo survival at 48 h was not adversely affected at any of the concentrations tested. Impaired hatching and deformed fry were observed only in the C(12-13) EO 6.5 study. The 28-day LC50 values were 4.87, 2.39, and 1.02 mg/L for the C(9-11) EO 6, C(12-13) EO 6.5, and C(14-15) EO 7 surfactants, respectively. The corresponding NOECs for survival were 1.01, 1.76, and 0.74 mg/L. Posthatch fry growth was more sensitive than survival for the C(12-13) EO 6.5 and C(14-15) EO 7 surfactants. Survival of posthatch fry decreased with increasing surfactant alkyl chain length. Twenty-eight-day laboratory data were compared to 96-h laboratory, 10-day laboratory and 30-day stream mesocosm data for fathead minnow previously determined for these surfactants. Survival endpoints from the different exposures were comparable and only varied within a factor of two. Similarity of results suggests that it is possible to effectively use 96-h, 10-day, or 28-day laboratory data to predict environmental effects concentrations of these surfactants for fish. http://link.springer-ny. com/link/service/journals/00244/bibs/37n4p536.html

Effects of synthetic gestagens on fish reproduction.

PubMed

Zeilinger, Jana; Steger-Hartmann, Thomas; Maser, Edmund; Goller, Stephan; Vonk, Richardus; Länge, Reinhard

2009-12-01

Although it is well known that estrogenic steroidal hormones are able to affect the sexual development and reproduction of fish at low concentrations, no data on environmental effects of the class of progestogenic hormones are available yet. Synthetic gestagens (progestins) are a component in oral contraceptives. Upon their use, a fraction of the progestins will be excreted via urine into the aquatic environment. On the basis of their pharmacological action in mammals, it is supposed that fish reproduction is the most sensitive endpoint for the progestin treatment. In order to test this assumption, the effects of two progestins currently marketed in contraceptive formulations, levonorgestrel (LNG) and drospirenone (DRSP), were investigated in adult fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) following an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 21-d fish reproduction screening assay draft protocol with additional end points. Levonorgestrel was tested at measured concentrations of 0.8, 3.3, and 29.6 ng/L, and DRSP at concentrations of 0.66, 6.5, and 70 microg/L. Both tested progestins caused an inhibition of reproduction. For LNG, this occurred at concentrations of >or=0.8 ng/L, no no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) could be defined. Higher concentrations resulted in masculinization of females with de novo synthesis of nuptial tubercles. Drospirenone treatment, however, affected the reproductive success of fathead minnow at concentrations of 6.5 microg/L and higher with a clear dose-response relationship and a NOEC of 0.66 microg/L, which is above environmentally relevant concentrations.

Developing a list of reference chemicals for testing alternatives to whole fish toxicity tests.

PubMed

Schirmer, Kristin; Tanneberger, Katrin; Kramer, Nynke I; Völker, Doris; Scholz, Stefan; Hafner, Christoph; Lee, Lucy E J; Bols, Niels C; Hermens, Joop L M

2008-11-11

This paper details the derivation of a list of 60 reference chemicals for the development of alternatives to animal testing in ecotoxicology with a particular focus on fish. The chemicals were selected as a prerequisite to gather mechanistic information on the performance of alternative testing systems, namely vertebrate cell lines and fish embryos, in comparison to the fish acute lethality test. To avoid the need for additional experiments with fish, the U.S. EPA fathead minnow database was consulted as reference for whole organism responses. This database was compared to the Halle Registry of Cytotoxicity and a collation of data by the German EPA (UBA) on acute toxicity data derived from zebrafish embryos. Chemicals that were present in the fathead minnow database and in at least one of the other two databases were subject to selection. Criteria included the coverage of a wide range of toxicity and physico-chemical parameters as well as the determination of outliers of the in vivo/in vitro correlations. While the reference list of chemicals now guides our research for improving cell line and fish embryo assays to make them widely applicable, the list could be of benefit to search for alternatives in ecotoxicology in general. One example would be the use of this list to validate structure-activity prediction models, which in turn would benefit from a continuous extension of this list with regard to physico-chemical and toxicological data.

Estimating the effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol on stochastic population growth rate of fathead minnows: a population synthesis of empirically derived vital rates.

PubMed

Schwindt, Adam R; Winkelman, Dana L

2016-09-01

Urban freshwater streams in arid climates are wastewater effluent dominated ecosystems particularly impacted by bioactive chemicals including steroid estrogens that disrupt vertebrate reproduction. However, more understanding of the population and ecological consequences of exposure to wastewater effluent is needed. We used empirically derived vital rate estimates from a mesocosm study to develop a stochastic stage-structured population model and evaluated the effect of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), the estrogen in human contraceptive pills, on fathead minnow Pimephales promelas stochastic population growth rate. Tested EE2 concentrations ranged from 3.2 to 10.9 ng L(-1) and produced stochastic population growth rates (λ S ) below 1 at the lowest concentration, indicating potential for population decline. Declines in λ S compared to controls were evident in treatments that were lethal to adult males despite statistically insignificant effects on egg production and juvenile recruitment. In fact, results indicated that λ S was most sensitive to the survival of juveniles and female egg production. More broadly, our results document that population model results may differ even when empirically derived estimates of vital rates are similar among experimental treatments, and demonstrate how population models integrate and project the effects of stressors throughout the life cycle. Thus, stochastic population models can more effectively evaluate the ecological consequences of experimentally derived vital rates.

Effects of waterborne exposure to 4-nonylphenol and nonylphenol ethoxylate on secondary sex characteristics and gonads of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miles-Richardson, S.R.; Pierens, S.L.; Nichols, K.M.

1999-02-01

Fathead minnows were exposed to 4-nonylphenol (NP) or nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPEO) to determine the effects of these weak estrogen agonists on secondary sex characteristics and gonads of sexually mature males and females during 42-day continuous-flow exposures. Neither NP nor NPEO caused statistically significant effects on tubercles or fatpad size at the concentrations tested. Exposure to 1.1 or 3.4 {micro}g NP.L caused changes in the number and size of Sertoli cells and germ cell syncytia. Necrotic aggregates of various stages of germ cells in the spermatogenic sequence were observed in the testes of males exposed to NP. Electron microscopy of themore » testes of NP-exposed males revealed the presence of phagocytic cells in the lumina of seminiferous tubules. The cytoplasm of some Sertoli cells was distended with myelin figures and necrotic spermatozoa. No significant effects on the stages of follicular development were observed in females exposed to NP. There were no differences in the gonads or secondary sex characteristics of males or females exposed to 5.5 {micro}g NPEO/L, the greatest concentration studied. The histologic responses observed are sensitive indicators of waterborne exposure to NP at environmentally relevant concentrations, but not as sensitive as induction of plasma vitellogenin.« less

Gene transcription ontogeny of hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis development in early-life stage fathead minnow and zebrafish.

PubMed

Vergauwen, Lucia; Cavallin, Jenna E; Ankley, Gerald T; Bars, Chloé; Gabriëls, Isabelle J; Michiels, Ellen D G; Fitzpatrick, Krysta R; Periz-Stanacev, Jelena; Randolph, Eric C; Robinson, Serina L; Saari, Travis W; Schroeder, Anthony L; Stinckens, Evelyn; Swintek, Joe; Van Cruchten, Steven J; Verbueken, Evy; Villeneuve, Daniel L; Knapen, Dries

2018-05-04

The hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis is known to play a crucial role in the development of teleost fish. However, knowledge of endogenous transcription profiles of thyroid-related genes in developing teleosts remains fragmented. We selected two model teleost species, the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and the zebrafish (Danio rerio), to compare the gene transcription ontogeny of the HPT axis. Control organisms were sampled at several time points during embryonic and larval development until 33 days post-fertilization. Total RNA was extracted from pooled, whole fish, and thyroid-related mRNA expression was evaluated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Gene transcripts examined included: thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor (trhr), thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (tshr), sodium-iodide symporter (nis), thyroid peroxidase (tpo), thyroglobulin (tg), transthyretin (ttr), deiodinases 1, 2, 3a, and 3b (dio1, dio2, dio3a and 3b), and thyroid hormone receptors alpha and beta (thrα and β). A loess regression method was successful in identifying maxima and minima of transcriptional expression during early development of both species. Overall, we observed great similarities between the species, including maternal transfer, at least to some extent, of almost all transcripts (confirmed in unfertilized eggs), increasing expression of most transcripts during hatching and embryo-larval transition, and indications of a fully functional HPT axis in larvae. These data will aid in the development of hypotheses on the role of certain genes and pathways during development. Furthermore, this provides a background reference dataset for designing and interpreting targeted transcriptional expression studies both for fundamental research and for applications such as toxicology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of the fungicide imazalil on the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproductive axis a case study in 21st century toxicity testing

EPA Science Inventory

Since its introduction in 1983 imazalil has been used primarily as a fungicide on crops post-harvest, such as tubers and citrus fruits. Its effectiveness lies in the ability to inhibit the fungal enzyme, lanosterol 14 á-demethylase. However, like other azole fungicides, im...

Rapid effects of the aromatase inhibitor fadrozole on steroid production and gene expression in the ovary of female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Cytochrome P450 aromatase catalyzes conversion of C19 androgens to C18 estrogens and is critical for normal reproduction in female vertebrates. Fadrozole is a well-studied aromatase inhibitor that has been shown to suppress estrogen production in the ovaries of fish. However, l...

A novel framework for interpretation of data from the fish short-term reproduction assay (FSTRA) for the detection of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (poster)

EPA Science Inventory

The fish short term reproduction assay (FSTRA) is a key component of the USEPA endocrine disruptor screening program (EDSP). The FSTRA considers several mechanistic and apical responses in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to determine whether an unknown chemical is likely to...

A Computational Model of the Hypothalamic Pituitary Gonadal Axis in Female Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to 17á-ethynylestradiol and 17â-trenbolone

EPA Science Inventory

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (e.g., estrogens, androgens and their mimics) are known to affect reproduction in fish. 17a-ethynylestradiol is a synthetic estrogen used in birth control pills. 17a-trenbolone is a relatively stable metabolite of trenbolone acetate, a synthetic and...

Effects of the fungicide imazalil on the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproductive axis a case study in 21st century toxicity testing

EPA Science Inventory

Since its introduction in 1983, imazalil has been used primarily as a fungicide on crops post-harvest. Its effectiveness lies in the ability to inhibit the fungal cytochrome P450 (cyp), lanosterol 14 á-demethylase. However, like other azole fungicides, imazalil can inhibit...

Species-specific toxicity of major ion salts 1: Fathead minnows and pond snails

EPA Science Inventory

Elevated major ion concentrations (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SO4, HCO3) have been recognized as a cause of surface water impairment and the toxicity of these major ions has been shown to be dependent on the specific ion composition of the water. A long-term research project was initiate...

A Computational Model of the Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal Axis in Male Fathead Minnows Exposed to 17 | *alpha* | -ethinylestradiol and 17 | *beta* | -estradiol

EPA Science Inventory

Estrogenic chemicals in the aquatic environment have been shown to cause a variety of reproductive anomalies in fish including full sex reversal, intersex, and altered population sex ratios. Two estrogens found in the aquatic environment, 17-ethinylestradiol and 17â-estradiol, h...

A method for CRISPR/Cas9 mutation of genes in fathead minnow

EPA Science Inventory

Product Description: CRISPR/Cas9 is a system that can be used to disrupt a gene of interest in any animal. It allows us to study each gene’s role by observing changes in the animal when the gene isn’t functional. We worked out a method to use this technology in the f...

CLONING AND IN VITRO EXPRESSION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ANDROGEN RECEPTOR AND ISOLATION OF ESTROGEN RECEPTOR α FROM THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

In vitro screening assays designed to identify hormone mimics or antagonists typically use mammalian (rat, human) estrogen (ER) and androgen receptors (AR). Although we know that the amino acid sequences of steroid receptors in nonmammalian vertebrates are not identical to the ma...

CLONING, EXPRESSION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ANDROGEN RECEPTOR AND ISOLATION OF ESTROGEN RECEPTOR ALPHA FROM THE FATHEAD MINNOW (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS)

EPA Science Inventory

In vitro screening assays designed to identify hormone mimics or antagonists, including those recommended for use in the EPA's Tier 1 screening battery, typically use mammalian estrogen (ER) and androgen receptors (AR) such as rat or human. Although we know that the amino acid s...

Effects of a 3β-hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Inhibitor, Trilostane, on the Fathead Minnow Reproductive Axis

EPA Science Inventory

A number of environmental contaminants and plant flavonoid compounds have been shown to inhibit the activity of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Δ5-Δ4 isomerase (3β-HSD). Because 3β-HSD plays a critical role in steroid hormone synthesis, inhibition of 3β-HSD represents a potentia...

Final Environmental Assessment Prescribed Burning for Weed Management on F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

most prevalent noxious weeds found at F. E. Warren AFB. · Fish and Wildlife Fish species that have been stocked in the Pearson Lakes include brown ... trout , rainbow trout , lake trout , catfish , perch , and fathead minnow. Aquatic furbearers on the base include beaver and muskrat. Beavers are found

Computational modeling of dynamic alteration of plasma vitellogenin in response to aromatase CYP19 inhibition in fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

In vertebrates, conversion of testosterone into 17β-estradiol (E2) is catalyzed by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 19A aromatase. An important role of E2 in oviparous vertebrates such as fish is stimulation of hepatic synthesis of the glycolipoprotein vitellogenin (VTG), an egg yolk precur...

VITELLOGENIN GENE EXPRESSION IN FATHEAD MINNOWS AND PEARL DACE FROM CONTROL (NON-DOSED) AND LAKES DOSED WITH EE2 IN THE CANADIAN EXPERIMENTAL LAKES AREA

EPA Science Inventory

A whole-lake endocrine disruption experiment was conducted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) in northwestern Ontario for three years beginning in 2001. This experiment examined population, organismal, biochemical and cellular-level effects in la...

The use of adverse outcome pathway-based toxicity predictions: A case study evaluating the effects of imazalil on fathead minnow reproduction

EPA Science Inventory

Product Description: As a means to increase the efficiency of chemical safety assessment, there is an interest in using data from molecular and cellular bioassays, conducted in a highly automated fashion using modern robotics, to predict toxicity in humans and wildlife. The prese...

Environmental gestagens activate fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) nuclear progesterone and androgen receptors in vitro

EPA Science Inventory

Gestagen is a collective term for endogenous and synthetic progesterone receptor (PR) ligands. In teleost fishes, 17á,20â-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP) and17á,20â,21- trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (20â-S) are the predominant progestogens, whereas in other vertebrates the major pro...

Evaluation of whole-mount in situ hybridization as a tool for pathway-based toxicological research with early-life stage fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Early-life stage fish can be more sensitive to chemical exposure than adult fish. Therefore, determining possible adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) for early-life stages is crucial. To determine chemical effects and/or mechanisms of action in exposed fish embryos and larvae, whole-...

EFFECTS OF AMMONIUM SULFATE ON GROWTH OF LARVAL NORTHWESTERN SALAMANDERS, RED-LEGGED AND PACIFIC TREEFROG TADPOLES, AND JUVENILE FATHEAD MINNOWS

EPA Science Inventory

Ammonium-nitrogen fertilizers are used in large quantities in agricultural areas of the United States, including the grass-seed fields of the Willamette Valley of western Oregon, and are a potential threat to larval amphibians living in the treat areas (Edwards and Daniel 1994, M...

Determining the effects of a mixture of an endocrine disrupting compound, 17a-ethinylestradiol, and ammonia on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproduction

EPA Science Inventory

Aquatic organisms are exposed to a multitude of contaminants and to fully understand the impact of multiple stressors on fish populations, we must first understand the mechanism of action for each toxicant and how the combined effects manifest at the level of the individual. 17α-...

Use of Gene Expression, Biochemical and Metabolite Profiles to Enhance Exposure and Effects Assessment of the Model Androgen 17β-trenbolone in Fish

EPA Science Inventory

The impact of exposure by water to a model androgen, 17β-trenbolone (TRB), was assessed in fathead minnows using an integrated molecular approach. This included classical measures of endocrine exposure such as impacts on testosterone (T), 17β-estradiol (E2), and vitellogenin (VTG...

78 FR 37176 - Addition of Nonylphenol Category; Community Right-to-Know Toxic Chemical Release Reporting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-20

...]g/L. Nearly all larvae were abnormal at the two highest exposure concentrations (>= 53 [micro]g/L... was delayed at the two highest concentrations (14 and 23 [micro]g/L). Fathead minnow survival was... [micro]g/L (Ref. 35). 2. In Vivo Responses in Fish. The protein vitellogenin, which is produced in the...

Effects of the antimicrobial contaminant triclocarban and co-exposure with the androgen 17â-trenbolone, on reproductive function and ovarian transcriptome of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Triclocarban (TCC) is a widely used antimicrobial agent that is routinely detected in surface waters. The present study was designed to examine TCC’s efficacy and mode of action as a reproductive toxicant in fish. Reproductively mature Pimephales promelas were continuously expose...

Current lineages of the epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) cell line are contaminated with fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas, cells

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winton, J.; Batts, W.; DeKinkelin, P.; LeBerre, M.; Bremont, M.; Fijan, N.

2010-01-01

Initially established from proliferative skin lesions of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., the epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) cell line (Fijan, Sulimanovic, Bearzotti, Muzinic, Zwillenberg, Chilmonczyk, Vautherot & de Kinkelin 1983) has become one of the most widely used tools for research on fish viruses and the diagnosis of fish viral diseases.

Metabolite profiling of fish skin mucus: a novel approach for minimally-invasive environmental exposure monitoring and surveillance.

PubMed

Ekman, D R; Skelton, D M; Davis, J M; Villeneuve, D L; Cavallin, J E; Schroeder, A; Jensen, K M; Ankley, G T; Collette, T W

2015-03-03

The application of 'omics tools to biologically based monitoring and surveillance of aquatic environments shows considerable promise for complementing chemical monitoring in ecological risk assessments. However, few of the current approaches offer the ability to sample ecologically relevant species (e.g., fish) in a way that produces minimal impact on the health of the organism(s) under study. In the current study we employ liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to assess the potential for skin mucus-based metabolomics for minimally invasive sampling of the fathead minnow (FHM; Pimephales promelas). Using this approach we were able to detect 204 distinct metabolites in the FHM skin mucus metabolome representing a large number of metabolite classes. An analysis of the sex specificity of the skin mucus metabolome showed it to be highly sexually dimorphic with 72 of the detected metabolites showing a statistically significant bias with regard to sex. Finally, in a proof-of-concept fashion we report on the use of skin mucus-based metabolomics to assess exposures in male and female fathead minnows to an environmentally relevant concentration of bisphenol A, a nearly ubiquitous environmental contaminant and an established endocrine active chemical.

Effects of Ammonium Perchlorate on Thyroid Function in Developing Fathead Minnows, Pimephales promelas

PubMed Central

Crane, Helen M.; Pickford, Daniel B.; Hutchinson, Thomas H.; Brown, J. Anne

2005-01-01

Perchlorate is a known environmental contaminant, largely due to widespread military use as a propellant. Perchlorate acts pharmacologically as a competitive inhibitor of thyroidal iodide uptake in mammals, but the impacts of perchlorate contamination in aquatic ecosystems and, in particular, the effects on fish are unclear. Our studies aimed to investigate the effects of concentrations of ammonium perchlorate that can occur in the environment (1, 10, and 100 mg/L) on the development of fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas. For these studies, exposures started with embryos of < 24-hr postfertilization and were terminated after 28 days. Serial sectioning of thyroid follicles showed thyroid hyperplasia with increased follicular epithelial cell height and reduced colloid in all groups of fish that had been exposed to perchlorate for 28 days, compared with control fish. Whole-body thyroxine (T4) content (a measure of total circulating T4) in fish exposed to 100 mg/L perchlorate was elevated compared with the T4 content of control fish, but 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3) content was not significantly affected in any exposure group. Despite the apparent regulation of T3, after 28 days of exposure to ammonium perchlorate, fish exposed to the two higher levels (10 and 100 mg/L) were developmentally retarded, with a lack of scales and poor pigmentation, and significantly lower wet weight and standard length than were control fish. Our study indicates that environmental levels of ammonium perchlorate affect thyroid function in fish and that in the early life stages these effects may be associated with developmental retardation. PMID:15811828

Estimating the effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol on stochastic population growth rate of fathead minnows: a population synthesis of empirically derived vital rates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schwindt, Adam R.; Winkelman, Dana L.

2016-01-01

Urban freshwater streams in arid climates are wastewater effluent dominated ecosystems particularly impacted by bioactive chemicals including steroid estrogens that disrupt vertebrate reproduction. However, more understanding of the population and ecological consequences of exposure to wastewater effluent is needed. We used empirically derived vital rate estimates from a mesocosm study to develop a stochastic stage-structured population model and evaluated the effect of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), the estrogen in human contraceptive pills, on fathead minnow Pimephales promelas stochastic population growth rate. Tested EE2 concentrations ranged from 3.2 to 10.9 ng L−1 and produced stochastic population growth rates (λ S ) below 1 at the lowest concentration, indicating potential for population decline. Declines in λ S compared to controls were evident in treatments that were lethal to adult males despite statistically insignificant effects on egg production and juvenile recruitment. In fact, results indicated that λ S was most sensitive to the survival of juveniles and female egg production. More broadly, our results document that population model results may differ even when empirically derived estimates of vital rates are similar among experimental treatments, and demonstrate how population models integrate and project the effects of stressors throughout the life cycle. Thus, stochastic population models can more effectively evaluate the ecological consequences of experimentally derived vital rates.

Developing confidence in adverse outcome pathway-based ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

An adverse outcome pathway (AOP) description linking inhibition of aromatase (cytochrome P450 [cyp] 19) to reproductive dysfunction was reviewed for scientific and technical quality and endorsed by the OECD. An intended application of the AOP framework is to support the use of mechanistic or pathway-based data to infer or predict chemical hazards and apical adverse outcomes. As part of this work, ToxCast high throughput screening data were used to identify a chemicals’ ability to inhibit aromatase activity in vitro. Twenty-four hour in vivo exposures, focused on effects on production and circulating concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2), key events in the AOP, were conducted to verify in vivo activity. Based on these results, imazalil was selected as a case study chemical to test an AOP-based hazard prediction. A computational model of the fish hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis and a statistically-based model of oocyte growth dynamics were used to predict impacts of different concentrations of imazalil on multiple key events along the AOP, assuming continuous exposure for 21 d. Results of the model simulations were used to select test concentrations and design a fathead minnow reproduction study in which fish were exposed to 20, 60, or 200 µg imazalil/L for durations of 2.5, 10, or 21d. Within 60 h of exposure, female fathead minnows showed significant reductions in ex vivo production of E2, circulating E2 concentrations, and significant increases in

Developing confidence in adverse outcome pathway-based ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

An adverse outcome pathway (AOP) description linking inhibition of aromatase (cytochrome P450 [cyp] 19) to reproductive dysfunction was reviewed for scientific and technical quality and endorsed by the OECD (https://aopwiki.org/wiki/index.php/Aop:25). An intended application of the AOP framework is to support the use of mechanistic or pathway-based data to infer or predict chemical hazards and apical adverse outcomes. As part of this work, ToxCast high throughput screening data were used to identify a chemicals’ ability to inhibit aromatase activity in vitro. Twenty-four hour in vivo exposures, focused on effects on production and circulating concentrations of 17â-estradiol (E2), key events in the AOP, were conducted to verify in vivo activity. Based on these results, imazalil was selected as a case study chemical to test an AOP-based hazard prediction. A computational model of the fish hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis and a statistically-based model of oocyte growth dynamics were used to predict impacts of different concentrations of imazalil on multiple key events along the AOP, assuming continuous exposure for 21 d. Results of the model simulations were used to select test concentrations and design a fathead minnow reproduction study in which fish were exposed to 20, 60, or 200 µg imazalil/L for durations of 2.5, 10, or 21d. Within 60 h of exposure, female fathead minnows showed significant reductions in ex vivo production of E2, circulating E2 c

Exposure effects of levonorgestrel on oogenesis in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Frankel, Tyler; Yonkos, Lance; Frankel, Jack

2017-12-01

The synthetic progestin levonorgestrel is commonly utilized in human oral contraceptives. It enters the environment as a component of wastewater treatment plant effluent, and has been measured at low ng/L concentrations in surface waters. It has been shown to activate fish androgen receptors, causing the physical masculinization of females, changes in reproductive behavior, and decreases in fecundity. In the present study, the effects of levonorgestrel exposure on early-stage oogenesis in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) was examined. Adult females were exposed to 0, 10, or 100 ng/L levonorgestrel for 14 d using a flow-through exposure system. The ovaries from each female were then removed via dissection and weighed for gonadosomatic index (GSI) calculations, and oocytes from one lobe preserved in Serra's fixative. Total numbers of late-stage vitellogenic oocytes exhibiting a germinal vesicle were then quantified. In a second exposure, blood plasma samples were collected from adult females and analyzed for vitellogenin concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Females exposed to both concentrations of levonorgestrel developed male secondary sexual characteristics in a dose-dependent manner, and ovaries contained significantly fewer late stage oocytes. Exposure to 100 ng/L of levonorgestrel resulted in decreased GSI and blood plasma vitellogenin concentrations. The results suggest that female exposure to levonorgestrel alone may have profound effects on reproduction in progestin-contaminated environments. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3299-3304. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Oxygen flux as an indicator of physiological stress in aquatic organisms: a real-time biomonitoring system of water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, Brian C.; Yale, Gowri; Chatni, Rameez; Ochoa-Acuña, Hugo G.; Porterfield, D. Marshall; Mclamore, Eric S.; Sepúlveda, María S.

2009-05-01

The detection of harmful chemicals and biological agents in real time is a critical need for protecting water quality. We studied the real-time effects of five environmental contaminants with differing modes of action (atrazine, pentachlorophenol, cadmium chloride, malathion, and potassium cyanide) on respiratory oxygen consumption in 2-day post-fertilization fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) eggs. Our objective was to assess the sensitivity of fathead minnow eggs using the self-referencing micro-optrode technique to detect instantaneous changes in oxygen consumption after brief exposures to low concentrations of contaminants. Oxygen consumption data indicated that the technique is indeed sensitive enough to reliably detect physiological alterations induced by all contaminants. After 2 h of exposure, we identified significant increases in oxygen consumption upon exposure to pentachlorophenol (100 and 1000 μg/L), cadmium chloride (0.0002 and 0.002 μg/L), and atrazine (150 μg/L). In contrast, we observed a significant decrease in oxygen flux after exposures to potassium cyanide (5.2, 22, and 44 μg/L) and atrazine (1500 μg/L). No effects were detected after exposures to malathion (200 and 340 μg/L). We have also tested the sensitivity of Daphnia magna embryos as another animal model for real-time environmental biomonitoring. Our results are so far encouraging and support further development of this technology as a physiologically coupled biomonitoring tool for the detection of environmental toxicants.

EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF FLY ASH EXPOSURE ON FISH EARLY LIFE STAGES: FATHEAD MINNOW EMBRYO-LARVAL TESTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greeley Jr, Mark Stephen; Elmore, Logan R; McCracken, Kitty

2012-05-01

On December 22, 2008, a dike containing fly ash and bottom ash in an 84-acre complex of the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Kingston Steam Plant in East Tennessee failed and released a large quantity of ash into the adjacent Emory River. Ash deposits extended as far as 4 miles upstream (Emory River mile 6) of the Plant, and some ash was carried as far downstream as Tennessee River mile 564 ({approx}4 miles downstream of the Tennessee River confluence with the Clinch River). A byproduct of coal burning power plants, fly ash contains a variety of metals and other elements which,more » at sufficient concentrations and in specific forms, can be toxic to biological systems. The effects of fly ash contamination on exposed fish populations depend on the magnitude and duration of exposure, with the most significant risk considered to be the effects of specific ash constituents, especially selenium, on fish early life stages. Uptake by adult female fish of fly ash constituents through the food chain and subsequent maternal transfer of contaminants to the developing eggs is thought to be the primary route of selenium exposure to larval fish (Woock and others 1987, Coyle and others 1993, Lemly 1999, Moscatello and others 2006), but direct contact of the fertilized eggs and developing embryos to ash constituents in river water and sediments is also a potential risk factor (Woock and others 1987, Coyle and others 1993, Jezierska and others 2009). To address the risk of fly ash from the Kingston spill to the reproductive health of downstream fish populations, ORNL has undertaken a series of studies in collaboration with TVA including: (1) a field study of the bioaccumulation of fly ash constituents in fish ovaries and the reproductive condition of sentinel fish species in reaches of the Emory and Clinch Rivers affected by the fly ash spill; (2) laboratory tests of the potential toxicity of fly ash from the spill area on fish embryonic and larval development (reported in the current technical manuscript); (3) additional laboratory experimentation focused on the potential effects of long-term exposures to fly ash on fish survival and reproductive competence; and (4) a combined field and laboratory study examining the in vitro developmental success of embryos and larvae obtained from fish exposed in vivo for over two years to fly ash in the Emory and Clinch Rivers. These fish reproduction and early life-stage studies are being conducted in conjunction with a broader biological monitoring program administered by TVA that includes a field study of the condition of larval fish in the Emory and Clinch Rivers along with assessments of water quality, sediment composition, ecotoxicological studies, terrestrial wildlife studies, and human and ecological risk assessment. Information and data generated from these studies will provide direct input into risk assessment efforts and will also complement and help support other phases of the overall biomonitoring program. Fish eggs, in general, are known to be capable of concentrating heavy metals and other environmental contaminants from water-borne exposures during embryonic development (Jezierska and others 2009), and fathead minnow embryos in particular have been shown to concentrate methylmercury (Devlin 2006) as well as other chemical toxicants. This technical report focuses on the responses of fathead minnow embryos to simple contact exposures to fly ash in laboratory toxicity tests adapted from a standard fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) 7-d embryo-larval survival and teratogenicity test (method 1001.0 in EPA 2002) with mortality, hatching success, and the incidences of developmental abnormalities as measured endpoints.« less

Effects of a short-term exposure to the aromatase inhibitor fadrozole on steroid production and gene expression in the ovary of female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Cytochrome P450 aromatase is a steriodogenic enzyme that converts C19 androgens to C18 estrogens and is critical for normal reproduction in females. Fadrozole is a well-studied aromatase inhibitor that has been shown to suppress estrogen production in the ovaries of fish. Howev...

Predator avoidance performance of larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) following short-term exposure to estrogen mixtures

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGee, M.R.; Julius, M.L.; Vajda, A.M.; Norris, D.O.; Barber, L.B.; Schoenfuss, H.L.

2009-01-01

Aquatic organisms exposed to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) at early life-stages may have reduced reproductive fitness via disruption of reproductive and non-reproductive behavioral and physiological pathways. Survival to reproductive age relies upon optimal non-reproductive trait expression, such as adequate predator avoidance responses, which may be impacted through EDC exposure. During a predator–prey confrontation, larval fish use an innate C-start escape behavior to rapidly move away from an approaching threat. We tested the hypotheses that (1) larval fathead minnows exposed to estrogens, a primary class of EDCs, singularly or in mixture, suffer a reduced ability to perform an innate C-start behavior when faced with a threat stimulus; (2) additive effects will cause greater reductions in C-start behavior; and (3) effects will differ among developmental stages. In this study, embryos (post-fertilization until hatching) were exposed for 5 days to environmentally relevant concentrations of estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) singularly and in mixture. Exposed embryos were allowed to hatch and grow in control well water until 12 days old. Similarly, post-hatch fathead minnows were exposed for 12 days to these compounds. High-speed (1000 frames/s) video recordings of escape behavior were collected and transferred to National Institutes of Health Image for frame-by-frame analysis of latency period, escape velocity, and total escape response (combination of latency period and escape velocity). When tested 12 days post-hatch, only E1 adversely affected C-start performance of larvae exposed as embryos. Conversely, larvae exposed for 12 days post-hatch did not exhibit altered escape responses when exposed to E1, while adverse responses were seen in E2 and the estrogen mixture. Ethinylestradiol exposure did not elicit changes in escape behaviors at either developmental stage. The direct impact of reduced C-start performance on survival, and ultimately, reproductive fitness provides an avenue to assess the ecological relevance of exposure in an assay of relatively short duration.

Examining the effects of metal mining mixtures on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) using field-based multi-trophic artificial streams.

PubMed

Rozon-Ramilo, Lisa D; Dubé, Monique G; Rickwood, Carrie J; Niyogi, Som

2011-09-01

This study illustrates the use of a mesocosm approach for assessing the independent effects of three treated metal mine effluents (MME) discharging into a common receiving environment and regulated under the same regulation. A field-based, multi-trophic artificial stream study was conducted in August 2008 to assess the effects of three metal mining effluents on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) in a 21-day reproduction bioassay. The nature of the approach allowed for assessment of both dietary and waterborne exposure pathways. Elements (e.g. Se, Co, Cl, Cu, Fe) were analyzed in several media (water, sediments) and tissues (biofilm, Chironomus dilutus, female fathead minnow (FHM) body, ovary, liver, gills). Significant increases in metal and micronutrient concentrations were observed in the water and biofilm tissues in all MME treatments [20% surface water effluent (SWE), 30% mine water effluent (MWE), and 45% process water effluent (PWE)], compared to reference. However, copper was the only element to significantly increase in the sediments when exposed to PWE. Co and Ni increased significantly in C. dilutus tissues in SWE (1.4- and 1.5-fold, respectively), Cu and Se also increased in chironomid tissues in PWE (5.2- and 3.3-fold, respectively); however, no significant increases in metals or micronutrients occurred in chironomid tissues when exposed to MWE compared to reference. There were no significant increases in metal concentrations in female FHM tissues (body, liver, gonads, gills) in any of the treatments suggesting that metals were either not bioavailable, lost from the females via the eggs, or naturally regulated through homeostatic mechanisms. Cumulative number of eggs per female per day increased significantly (∼127%) after exposure to SWE and decreased significantly (∼33%) after exposure to PWE when compared to reference. Mean total number of days to hatch was reduced in PWE compared to reference. This study shows the importance of isolating treatment streams in cumulative discharge environments to assess aquatic effects due to the different nature of the effluents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bioconcentration of ibuprofen in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus).

PubMed

Nallani, Gopinath C; Paulos, Peter M; Constantine, Lisa A; Venables, Barney J; Huggett, Duane B

2011-09-01

Pharmaceutical products and their metabolites are being widely detected in aquatic environments and there is a growing interest in assessing potential risks of these substances to fish and other non-target species. Ibuprofen is one of the most commonly used analgesic drugs and no peer-reviewed laboratory studies have evaluated the tissue specific bioconcentration of ibuprofen in fish. In the current study, fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) were exposed to 250 μg L(-1) ibuprofen for 28 d followed by a 14 d depuration phase. In a minimized bioconcentration test design, channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were exposed to 250 μg L(-1) for a week and allowed to depurate for 7 d. Tissues were collected during uptake and depuration phases of each test and the corresponding proportional and kinetic bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were estimated. The results indicated that the BCF levels were very low (0.08-1.4) implying the lack of bioconcentration potential for ibuprofen in the two species. The highest accumulation of ibuprofen was observed in the catfish plasma as opposed to individual tissues. The minimized test design yielded similar bioconcentration results as those of the standard test and has potential for its use in screening approaches for pharmaceuticals and other classes of chemicals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of the oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus, as a prey organism for toxicant exposure of fish through the diet

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mount, D.R.; Highland, T.L.; Mattson, V.R.; Dawson, T.D.; Lott, K.G.; Ingersoll, C.G.

2006-01-01

The oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus, has several characteristics that make it desirable as a prey organism for conducting dietary exposure studies with fish. We conducted 21- and 30-d experiments with young fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), respectively, to determine whether a diet consisting solely of L. variegatus would support normal growth and to compare performance with standard diets (Artemia nauplii, frozen brine shrimp, or trout chow). All diets were readily accepted, and fish survived and grew well. Food conversion in both fathead minnows and rainbow trout was as high as or higher for the oligochaete diet compared with others, although this comparison is influenced by differences in ration, ingestion rate, or both. The oligochaete diet had gross nutritional analysis similar to the other diets, and meets fish nutrition guidelines for protein and essential amino acids. Methodologies and practical considerations for successfully using oligochaetes as an experimental diet are discussed. Considering their ready acceptance by fish, their apparent nutritional sufficiency, the ease of culturing large numbers, and the ease with which they can be loaded with exogenous chemicals, we believe that L. variegatus represents an excellent choice of exposure vector for exposing fish to toxicants via the diet. ?? 2006 SETAC.

Biological effects of tritium on fish cells in the concentration range of international drinking water standards.

PubMed

Stuart, Marilyne; Festarini, Amy; Schleicher, Krista; Tan, Elizabeth; Kim, Sang Bog; Wen, Kendall; Gawlik, Jilian; Ulsh, Brant

2016-10-01

To evaluate whether the current Canadian tritium drinking water limit is protective of aquatic biota, an in vitro study was designed to assess the biological effects of low concentrations of tritium, similar to what would typically be found near a Canadian nuclear power station, and higher concentrations spanning the range of international tritium drinking water standards. Channel catfish peripheral blood B-lymphoblast and fathead minnow testis cells were exposed to 10-100,000 Bq l(-1) of tritium, after which eight molecular and cellular endpoints were assessed. Increased numbers of DNA strand breaks were observed and ATP levels were increased. There were no increases in γH2AX-mediated DNA repair. No differences in cell growth were noted. Exposure to the lowest concentrations of tritium were associated with a modest increase in the viability of fathead minnow testicular cells. Using the micronucleus assay, an adaptive response was observed in catfish B-lymphoblasts. Using molecular endpoints, biological responses to tritium in the range of Canadian and international drinking water standards were observed. At the cellular level, no detrimental effects were noted on growth or cycling, and protective effects were observed as an increase in cell viability and an induced resistance to a large challenge dose.

Toxicity of untreated and ozone-treated oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) to early life stages of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

He, Yuhe; Patterson, Sarah; Wang, Nan; Hecker, Markus; Martin, Jonathan W; El-Din, Mohamed Gamal; Giesy, John P; Wiseman, Steve B

2012-12-01

Due to a policy of no release, oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), produced by the surface-mining oil sands industry in North Eastern Alberta, Canada, is stored on-site in tailings ponds. Currently, ozonation is considered one possible method for remediation of OSPW by reducing the concentrations of dissolved organic compounds, including naphthenic acids (NAs), which are considered the primary toxic constituents. However, further work was needed to evaluate the effectiveness of ozonation in reducing the toxicity of OSPW and to ensure that ozonation does not increase the toxicity of OSPW. This study examined effects of untreated, ozone-treated, and activated charcoal-treated OSPW (OSPW, O3-OSPW, and AC-OSPW) on the early life stage (ELS) of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Success of hatching of eggs, spontaneous movement, and incidences of hemorrhage, pericardial edema, and malformation of the spine of embryos were examined. To elucidate the mechanism of toxicity, concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured, and the abundances of transcripts of genes involved in biotransformation of xenobiotics, response to oxidative stress, and apoptosis were quantified by real-time PCR. Compared to the control group, which had an embryo survival rate of 97.9 ± 2.08%, survival was significantly less when exposed to OSPW (43.8 ± 7.12%). Eggs exposed to untreated OSPW exhibited a significantly greater rate of premature hatching, and embryos exhibited greater spontaneous movement. Incidences of hemorrhage (50.0 ± 3.40%), pericardial edema (56.3 ± 7.12%), and malformation of the spine (37.5 ± 5.38%) were significantly greater in embryos exposed to OSPW compared to controls. These effects are typical of exposure to dioxin-like compounds, however, abundance of transcripts of cyp1a was not significantly greater in embryos exposed to OSPW. Significantly greater concentrations of ROS, and greater abundances of transcripts cyp3a, gst, sod, casp9, and apopen compared to controls, indicated that exposure to OSPW caused oxidative stress, which can result in damage to mitochondria and promote activation of caspase enzymes and apoptotic cell death. Removal of dissolved organic constituents by ozone treatment, or by activated charcoal, significantly attenuated all of the adverse effects associated with untreated OSPW. The results suggest that the organic fraction of OSPW can negatively impact the development of fathead minnow embryos through oxidative stress and apoptosis, and that ozonation attenuates this developmental toxicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complex mixtures, complex responses: Assessing pharmaceutical mixtures using field and laboratory approaches

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schoenfuss, Heiko L.; Furlong, Edward T.; Phillips, Patrick J.; Scott, Tia-Marie; Kolpin, Dana W.; Cetkovic-Cvrlje, Marina; Lesteberg, Kelsey E.; Rearick, Daniel C.

2016-01-01

Pharmaceuticals are present in low concentrations (<100 ng/L) in most municipal wastewater effluents but may be elevated locally because of factors such as input from pharmaceutical formulation facilities. Using existing concentration data, the authors assessed pharmaceuticals in laboratory exposures of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and added environmental complexity through effluent exposures. In the laboratory, larval and mature minnows were exposed to a simple opioid mixture (hydrocodone, methadone, and oxycodone), an opioid agonist (tramadol), a muscle relaxant (methocarbamol), a simple antidepressant mixture (fluoxetine, paroxetine, venlafaxine), a sleep aid (temazepam), or a complex mixture of all compounds. Larval minnow response to effluent exposure was not consistent. The 2010 exposures resulted in shorter exposed minnow larvae, whereas the larvae exposed in 2012 exhibited altered escape behavior. Mature minnows exhibited altered hepatosomatic indices, with the strongest effects in females and in mixture exposures. In addition, laboratory-exposed, mature male minnows exposed to all pharmaceuticals (except the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor mixture) defended nest sites less rigorously than fish in the control group. Tramadol or antidepressant mixture exposure resulted in increased splenic T lymphocytes. Only male minnows exposed to whole effluent responded with increased plasma vitellogenin concentrations. Female minnows exposed to pharmaceuticals (except the opioid mixture) had larger livers, likely as a compensatory result of greater prominence of vacuoles in liver hepatocytes. The observed alteration of apical endpoints central to sustaining fish populations confirms that effluents containing waste streams from pharmaceutical formulation facilities can adversely impact fish populations but that the effects may not be temporally consistent. The present study highlights the importance of including diverse biological endpoints spanning levels of biological organization and life stages when assessing contaminant interactions.

Linking biomarkers to reproductive success of caged fathead minnows in streams with increasing urbanization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crago, J.; Corsi, S.R.; Weber, D.; Bannerman, R.; Klaper, R.

2011-01-01

Reproductive and oxidative stress biomarkers have been recommended as tools to assess the health of aquatic organisms. Though validated in the laboratory, there are few studies that tie a change in gene expression to adverse reproductive or population outcomes in the field. This paper looked at 17 streams with varying degrees of urbanization to assess the use of biomarkers associated with reproduction or stress in predicting reproductive success of fathead minnows. In addition, the relationship between biomarkers and water quality measures in streams with varying degrees of urbanization was examined. Liver vitellogenin mRNA was correlated with reproduction within a period of 11. d prior to sampling irrespective of habitat, but its correlation with egg output declined at 12. d and beyond indicating its usefulness as a short-term biomarker but its limits as a biomarker of total reproductive output. Stress biomarkers such as glutathione S-transferase may be better correlated with factors affecting reproduction over a longer term. There was a significant correlation between GST mRNA and a variety of anthropogenic pollutants. There was also an inverse correlation between glutathione S-transferase and the amount of the watershed designated as wetland. Egg production over the 21-d was negatively correlated with the amount of urbanization and positively correlated to wetland habitats. This study supports the development of multiple biomarkers linking oxidative stress and other non-reproductive endpoints to changes in aquatic habitats will be useful for predicting the health of fish populations and identifying the environmental factors that may need mitigation for sustainable population management. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Larval exposure to environmentally relevant mixtures of alkylphenolethoxylates reduces reproductive competence in male fathead minnows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bistodeau, T.J.; Barber, L.B.; Bartell, S.E.; Cediel, R.A.; Grove, K.J.; Klaustermeier, J.; Woodard, J.C.; Lee, K.E.; Schoenfuss, H.L.

2006-01-01

The ubiquitous presence of nonylphenolethoxylate/octylphenolethoxylate (NPE/OPE) compounds in aquatic environments adjacent to wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) warrants an assessment of the endocrine disrupting potential of these complex mixtures on aquatic vertebrates. In this study, fathead minnow larvae were exposed for 64 days to a mixture of NPE/OPE, which closely models the NPE/OPE composition of a major metropolitan WWTP effluent. Target exposure concentrations included a total NPE/OPE mixture load of 200% of the WWTP effluent concentration (148 ??g/L), 100% of the WWTP effluent concentration (74 ??g/L) and 50% of the WWTP effluent concentration (38 ??g/L). The NPE/OPE mixture contained 0.2% 4-t-octylphenol, 2.8% 4-nonylphenol, 5.1% 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxylate, 9.3% 4-nonylphenoldiethoxylate, 0.9% 4-t-octylphenolmonoethoxylate, 3.1% 4-t-octylphenoldiethoxylate, 33.8% 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxycarboxylate, and 44.8% 4-nonylphenoldiethoxycarboxylate. An additional exposure of 5 ??g/L 4-nonylphenol (nominal) was conducted. The exposure utilized a flow-through system supplied by ground water and designed to deliver consistent concentrations of applied chemicals. Following exposure, larvae were raised to maturity. Upon sexual maturation, exposed male fish were allowed to compete with control males in a competitive spawning assay. Nest holding ability of control and exposed fish was carefully monitored for 7 days. All male fish were then sacrificed and analyzed for plasma vitellogenin, developmental changes in gonadal tissues, alterations in the development of secondary sexual characters, morphometric changes, and changes to reproductive behavior. When exposed to the 200% NPE/OPE treatment most larvae died within the first 4 weeks of exposure. Both the 100% and 50% NPE/OPE exposures caused a significant decrease in reproductive behavior, as indicated by an inability of many of the previously exposed males to acquire and hold a nest site required for reproduction. In contrast, the 5 ??g/L 4-nonylphenol exposure resulted in significantly enhanced reproductive behavior compared to that of control males and a majority of the nesting sites were held by previously exposed males. No significant change in the development of gonadal tissues was observed. The 100% NPE/OPE exposure resulted in a significant reduction in the gonadal somatic index and in the prominence of secondary sexual characteristics of exposed larvae. This study indicates that NPE/OPE mixtures have an effect on the reproductive competence of previously exposed male fathead minnows. In addition, 4-nonylphenol concentrations utilized in all exposures were below regulatory guidelines, suggesting that evaluation of 4-nonylphenol alone may not be sufficient for identifying potentially adverse effects of this suite of compounds usually found as mixtures in the aquatic environment. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water- and sediment-quality effects on Pimephales promelas spawning vary along an agriculture-to-urban land-use gradient.

PubMed

Corsi, Steven R; Klaper, Rebecca D; Weber, Daniel N; Bannerman, Roger T

2011-10-15

Many streams in the U.S. are "impaired" due to anthropogenic influence. For watershed managers to achieve practical understanding of these impairments, a multitude of factors must be considered, including point and nonpoint-source influence on water quality. A spawning assay was developed in this study to evaluate water- and sediment-quality effects that influenced Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) egg production over a gradient of urban and agricultural land use in 27 small watersheds in Eastern Wisconsin. Six pairs of reproducing fathead minnows were contained in separate mesh cartridges within one larger flow-through chamber. Water- and sediment quality were sampled for an array of parameters. Egg production was monitored for each pair providing an assessment of spawning success throughout the 21-day test periods. Incidences of low dissolved oxygen (DO) in many of these streams negatively impacted spawning success. Nine of 27 streams experienced DO less than 3.1mg/L and 15 streams experienced DO less than 4.8mg/L. Low DO was observed in urban and agricultural watersheds, but the upper threshold of minimum DO decreased with increasing urban development. An increase in specific conductance was related to a decrease in spawning success. In previous studies for streams in this region, specific conductance had a linear relation with chloride, suggesting the possibility that chloride could be a factor in egg production. Egg production was lower at sites with substantial urban development, but sites with low egg production were not limited to urban sites. Degradation of water- and sediment-quality parameters with increasing urban development is indicated for multiple parameters while patterns were not detected for others. Results from this study indicate that DO must be a high priority watershed management consideration for this region, specific conductance should be investigated further to determine the mechanism of the relation with egg production, and water- and sediment-quality degrade in relation to urban influence. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Water- and sediment-quality effects on Pimephales promelas spawning vary along an agriculture-to-urban land-use gradient

USGS Publications Warehouse

Corsi, S.R.; Klaper, R.D.; Weber, D.N.; Bannerman, R.T.

2011-01-01

Many streams in the U.S. are "impaired" due to anthropogenic influence. For watershed managers to achieve practical understanding of these impairments, a multitude of factors must be considered, including point and nonpoint-source influence on water quality. A spawning assay was developed in this study to evaluate water- and sediment-quality effects that influenced Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) egg production over a gradient of urban and agricultural land use in 27 small watersheds in Eastern Wisconsin. Six pairs of reproducing fathead minnows were contained in separate mesh cartridges within one larger flow-through chamber. Water- and sediment quality were sampled for an array of parameters. Egg production was monitored for each pair providing an assessment of spawning success throughout the 21-day test periods. Incidences of low dissolved oxygen (DO) in many of these streams negatively impacted spawning success. Nine of 27 streams experienced DO less than 3.1. mg/L and 15 streams experienced DO less than 4.8. mg/L. Low DO was observed in urban and agricultural watersheds, but the upper threshold of minimum DO decreased with increasing urban development. An increase in specific conductance was related to a decrease in spawning success. In previous studies for streams in this region, specific conductance had a linear relation with chloride, suggesting the possibility that chloride could be a factor in egg production. Egg production was lower at sites with substantial urban development, but sites with low egg production were not limited to urban sites. Degradation of water- and sediment-quality parameters with increasing urban development is indicated for multiple parameters while patterns were not detected for others. Results from this study indicate that DO must be a high priority watershed management consideration for this region, specific conductance should be investigated further to determine the mechanism of the relation with egg production, and water- and sediment-quality degrade in relation to urban influence. ?? 2011.

Evaluation of Several Biological Monitoring Techniques for Hazard Assessment of Potentially Contaminated Wastewater and Groundwater. Volume 3. Old O-Field Groundwater

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

I I 3 TABLE 15. SUMMARY OF THE WATER QUALITY DURING THE OLD O-FIELD GROUNDWATER PILOT SCALE TOXICITY TESTS - UNTREATED GROUNDWATER ( FRESHWATER ...SUBJECT TERMS (Coftinut on reverse of necessary and identity by block number) FIELD IGROUP SUB-GROUP Groundwater , aquatic , to*’teltyi- daphnia,--Daphnia...FATHEAD MINNOWS AND DAPHNIDS ........................................... 30 12. SUMMARY OF THE WATER QUALITY DURING THE OLD O-FIELD GROUNDWATER BENCH

Exposure to levonorgestrel increases nest acquisition success and decreases sperm motility in the male fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Frankel, Tyler; Yonkos, Lance; Ampy, Franklin; Frankel, Jack

2018-04-01

Progestins are utilized as a component of human contraceptives, and commonly enter the environment via wastewater treatment plant effluent. Certain progestins activate fish androgen receptors and cause decreases in fecundity and masculinization of females. We used a nest acquisition assay and computer-assisted sperm analysis to examine the effects of levonorgestrel on male fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproductive fitness. Males were exposed to 0, 10, or 100 ng/L levonorgestrel for 14 d. Combinations of a control male and a male from one of the treatments were placed into a competitive nesting assay, and the time each male spent holding the nest and time spent exhibiting aggressive behaviors were analyzed at 48 h postexposure. Semen samples were analyzed for total motility, straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity, average path velocity, linearity, beat cross frequency, and wobble at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 s postactivation. Males exposed to either 10 or 100 ng/L of levonorgestrel exhibited increased nest acquisition success and lower levels of aggression compared with control-control pairings, as well as decreases in multiple sperm motion characteristics. Our results suggest that further research is required to ascertain the effects of levonorgestrel on male gamete quality and reproductive behaviors. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1131-1137. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Conversion of estrone to estradiol in male fathead minnows ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Estrogens are frequently observed in aquatic environments associated with anthropogenic influence, such as agricultural runoff and wastewater treatment effluent. While 17â-estradiol (E2) is the most potent naturally-occurring estrogen, estrone (E1) is often found at higher environmental concentrations. However, exogenous sources of E1 could potentially be converted to the more potent E2 through the action of endogenous 17â-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, specifically, the 17â-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 isoform (HSD17B1). Observation of increased plasma E2 concentrations without measureable changes in aromatase (cytochrome P45019a) expression in male fish caged in ambient waters containing elevated concentrations of E1, but low or non-detectable concentrations of E2, suggested this may be occurring in the field. If so, exogenous E1 may have a greater impact on reproductive function in aquatic vertebrates than previously assumed. The present study was conducted to evaluate this hypothesis. Male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to aqueous concentrations of 16.7, 50, and 150 ng E1/L in the laboratory exhibit significantly (p<0.05) elevated plasma E2 concentrations relative to control. Plasma testosterone (T) was elevated at a low E1 exposure concentration (1.8 ng E1/L) and depressed at the highest level of exposure (150 ng E1/L). Additionally, vitellogenin (VTG) mRNA expression was significantly elevated at concentrations of 50 and 10

Long-term reproductive and behavioral toxicity of anthracene to fish in the presence of solar ultraviolet radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall, A.T.; Oris, J.T.

1994-12-31

The long-term, low-level effects of anthracene in the presence of solar ultraviolet radiation (SUVR) were examined in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Adult fish exposed to anthracene exhibited reduced egg laying capacity, with altered oocyte maturation as a potential mechanism of action. Eggs and larvae maternally exposed to anthracene exhibited reduced hatching success and severe developmental abnormalities when incubated under SUVR. The combination of reduced egg output and developmental effects resulted in an inhibition in reproductive capacity in the range of 70--100%. Maternal transfer of anthracene to eggs was efficient; the BCF was 717 for maternally exposed eggs. However, anthracenemore » deputation from eggs after oviposition with only maternal PAH exposure was rapid; anthracene half-life from eggs equaled 1.3 days. Exposure to anthracene under SUVR altered locomotor activity patterns in fathead minnows by inducing hyperactivity or hypoactivity during the light or dark phases of the photoperiod, respectively. Altered activity patterns indicated potential effects of anthracene on the nervous system and/or pineal gland. These alterations disrupted normal activity patterns and reproductive behaviors, and thus have major implications on a fish`s ability to survive and reproduce. Anthracene, a model phototoxic PAH, has many potential sites of toxic action, and any organism exposed to such contaminants will be an considerable SUVR-enhanced risk in the environment.« less

A new approach for the laboratory culture of the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas.

PubMed

Gordon, Denise A; Smith, Mark E; Wratschko, Melissa; Agard, David; Holden, Lisa; Wilcox, Steve; Lazorchak, James M

2014-01-01

Fathead minnows are routinely cultured for use in aquatic toxicology studies. A new mass culture system described in the present study consisted of 6 stainless steel tanks, each containing 68 fish and 20 spawning substrates. Spawning results are compared with a previous system of 22 individual glass aquaria, which contained 16 fish and 4 spawning substrates per tank. During a 19-mo period, the new system produced an average of 4105 eggs/d, compared with an average of 2465 eggs/d with the previous system. Labor and maintenance were reduced with the new system. The stainless steel tanks eliminated aquaria glass breakage, and daily water use was reduced by 45%. Analysis of reference toxicant data from fish cultured using both systems indicated no change in the sensitivity of the test animals. Analyses of 2009 egg production data determined that a 6:1 to 7:1 female to male ratio had a significantly positive impact on egg production levels and that 6-mo-old breeding stock should be introduced to the spawning tanks in mid-spring for optimal egg production during the rest of the year. Implementing a stainless steel mass culture system significantly increased efficiency of egg production; reduced turnaround delay of mature animal availability for toxicity and molecular testing; and reduced labor time, costs, and inherent safety hazards, compared with glass aquaria systems. © 2013 SETAC.

Impact of natural organic matter and increased water hardness on DGT prediction of copper bioaccumulation by yellow lampmussel (Lampsilis cariosa) and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Philipps, Rebecca R; Xu, Xiaoyu; Mills, Gary L; Bringolf, Robert B

2018-06-01

We conducted an exposure experiment with Diffusive Gradients in Thin- Films (DGT), fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), and yellow lampmussel (Lampsilis cariosa) to estimate bioavailability and bioaccumulation of Cu. We hypothesized that Cu concentrations measured by DGT can be used to predict Cu accumulation in aquatic animals and alterations of water chemistry can affect DGT's predict ability. Three water chemistries (control soft water, hard water, and addition of natural organic matter (NOM)) and three Cu concentrations (0, 30, and 60 μg/L) were selected, so nine Cu-water chemistry combinations were used. NOM addition treatments resulted in decreased concentrations of DGT-measured Cu and free Cu ion predicted by Biotic Ligand Model (BLM). Both hard water and NOM addition treatments had reduced concentrations of Cu ion and Cu-dissolved organic matter complexes compared to other treatments. DGT-measured Cu concentrations were linearly correlated to fish accumulated Cu, but not to mussel accumulated Cu. Concentrations of bioavailable Cu predicted by BLM, the species complexed with biotic ligands of aquatic organisms and, was highly correlated to DGT-measured Cu. In general, DGT-measured Cu fit Cu accumulations in fish, and this passive sampling technique is acceptable at predicting Cu concentrations in fish in waters with low NOM concentrations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impacts of the phenylpyrazole insecticide fipronil on larval fish: time-series gene transcription responses in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) following short-term exposure.

PubMed

Beggel, Sebastian; Werner, Inge; Connon, Richard E; Geist, Juergen P

2012-06-01

The utilization of molecular endpoints in ecotoxicology can provide rapid and valuable information on immediate organismal responses to chemical stressors and is increasingly used for mechanistic interpretation of effects at higher levels of biological organization. This study contributes knowledge on the sublethal effects of a commonly used insecticide, the phenylpyrazole fipronil, on larval fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), utilizing a quantitative transcriptomic approach. Immediately after 24h of exposure to fipronil concentrations of ≥31 μg.L(-1), highly significant changes in gene transcription were observed for aspartoacylase, metallothionein, glucocorticoid receptor, cytochrome P450 3A126 and vitellogenin. Different mechanisms of toxicity were apparent over the course of the experiment, with short-term responses indicating neurotoxic effects. After 6 days of recovery, endocrine effects were observed with vitellogenin being up-regulated 90-fold at 61 μg.L(-1) fipronil. Principal component analysis demonstrated a significant increase in gene transcription changes over time and during the recovery period. In conclusion, multiple mechanisms of action were observed in response to fipronil exposure, and unknown delayed effects would have been missed if transcriptomic responses had only been measured at a single time-point. These challenges can be overcome by the inclusion of multiple endpoints and delayed effects in experimental designs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vulnerability of age-0 pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus to fish predation

USGS Publications Warehouse

French, William E.; Graeb, B.D.S.; Chipps, S.R.; Bertrand, K.N.; Selch, T.M.; Klumb, Robert A.

2010-01-01

Stocking is a commonly employed conservation strategy for endangered species such as the pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus. However, decisions about when, where and at what size pallid sturgeon should be stocked are hindered because vulnerability of pallid sturgeon to fish predation is not known. The objective of this study was to evaluate the vulnerability of age-0 pallid sturgeon to predation by two Missouri River predators under different flow regimes, and in combination with alternative prey. To document vulnerability, age-0 pallid sturgeon (<100 mm) were offered to channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus and smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu in laboratory experiments. Selection of pallid sturgeon by both predators was measured by offering pallid sturgeon and an alternative prey, fathead minnows Pimephales promelas, in varying prey densities. Smallmouth bass consumed more age-0 pallid sturgeon (0.95 h-1) than did channel catfish (0.13 h-1), and predation rates did not differ between water velocities supporting sustained (0 m s-1) or prolonged swimming speeds (0.15 m s-1). Neither predator positively selected pallid sturgeon when alternative prey was available. Both predator species consumed more fathead minnows than pallid sturgeon across all prey density combinations. Results indicate that the vulnerability of age-0 pallid sturgeon to predation by channel catfish and smallmouth bass is low, especially in the presence of an alternative fish prey. ?? 2009 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Acute toxicity of sodium bicarbonate, a major component of coal bed natural gas produced waters, to 13 aquatic species as defined in the laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harper, David D.; Farag, Aïda M.; Skaar, Don

2014-01-01

Water produced during coal bed natural gas (CBNG) extraction in the Powder River Structural Basin of Wyoming and Montana (USA) may contain concentrations of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) of more than 3000 mg/L. The authors evaluated the acute toxicity of NaHCO3, also expressed as bicarbonate (HCO3−), to 13 aquatic organisms. Of the 13 species tested, 7 had a median lethal concentration (LC50) less than 2000 mg/L NaHCO3, or 1300 mg/L HCO3−. The most sensitive species were Ceriodaphnia dubia, freshwater mussels (Lampsilis siliquoidea), pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus), and shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus). The respective LC50s were 989 mg/L, 1120 mg/L, 1249 mg/L, and 1430 mg/L NaHCO3, or 699 mg/L, 844 mg/L, 831 mg/L, and 1038 mg/L HCO3−. Age affected the sensitivity of fathead minnows, even within life stage. Two days posthatch, fathead minnows were more sensitive to NaHCO3 and HCO3− compared with 4-d-old fish, even though fish up to 14 d old are commonly used for toxicity evaluations. The authors recommend that ion toxicity exposures be conducted with organisms less than 24 h posthatch to ensure that experiments document the most sensitive stage of development. The results of the present study, along with historical and current research regarding the toxicity of bicarbonate, may be useful to establish regulatory standards for HCO3−.

Gene Expression Changes Related to Endocrine Function and Decline in Reproduction in Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) after Dietary Methylmercury Exposure

PubMed Central

Klaper, Rebecca; Rees, Christopher B.; Drevnick, Paul; Weber, Daniel; Sandheinrich, Mark; Carvan, Michael J.

2006-01-01

Background Methylmercury (MeHg) is a known neurotoxic agent, but the mechanisms by which MeHg may act on reproductive pathways are relatively unknown. Several studies have indicated potential changes in hormone levels as well as declines in vertebrates with increasing dietary MeHg exposure. Objectives The purpose of this study was to identify alterations in gene expression associated with MeHg exposure, specifically those associated with previously observed changes in reproduction and reproductive biomarkers. Fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, were fed one of three diets that were similar to documented concentrations of MeHg in the diets of wild invertivorous and piscivorous fish. We used a commercial macroarray in conjunction with quantitative polymerase chain reaction to examine gene expression in fish in relation to exposure to these environmentally relevant doses of MeHg. Results Expression of genes commonly associated with endocrine disruption was altered with Hg exposure. Specifically, we observed a marked up-regulation in vitellogenin mRNA in individual Hg-exposed males and a significant decline in vitellogenin gene expression in female fish with increasing Hg concentrations. Other genes identified by the macroarray experiment included those associated with egg fertilization and development, sugar metabolism, apoptosis, and electron transport. We also observed differences in expression patterns between male and female fish not related to genes specifically associated with reproduction, indicating a potential physiological difference in the reaction of males and females to MeHg. Conclusion Gene expression data may provide insight into the mechanisms by which MeHg affects reproduction in fish and indicate how MeHg differs in its effect from other heavy metals and endocrine-disrupting compounds. PMID:16966085

Predicting acute aquatic toxicity of structurally diverse chemicals in fish using artificial intelligence approaches.

PubMed

Singh, Kunwar P; Gupta, Shikha; Rai, Premanjali

2013-09-01

The research aims to develop global modeling tools capable of categorizing structurally diverse chemicals in various toxicity classes according to the EEC and European Community directives, and to predict their acute toxicity in fathead minnow using set of selected molecular descriptors. Accordingly, artificial intelligence approach based classification and regression models, such as probabilistic neural networks (PNN), generalized regression neural networks (GRNN), multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPN), radial basis function neural network (RBFN), support vector machines (SVM), gene expression programming (GEP), and decision tree (DT) were constructed using the experimental toxicity data. Diversity and non-linearity in the chemicals' data were tested using the Tanimoto similarity index and Brock-Dechert-Scheinkman statistics. Predictive and generalization abilities of various models constructed here were compared using several statistical parameters. PNN and GRNN models performed relatively better than MLPN, RBFN, SVM, GEP, and DT. Both in two and four category classifications, PNN yielded a considerably high accuracy of classification in training (95.85 percent and 90.07 percent) and validation data (91.30 percent and 86.96 percent), respectively. GRNN rendered a high correlation between the measured and model predicted -log LC50 values both for the training (0.929) and validation (0.910) data and low prediction errors (RMSE) of 0.52 and 0.49 for two sets. Efficiency of the selected PNN and GRNN models in predicting acute toxicity of new chemicals was adequately validated using external datasets of different fish species (fathead minnow, bluegill, trout, and guppy). The PNN and GRNN models showed good predictive and generalization abilities and can be used as tools for predicting toxicities of structurally diverse chemical compounds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extrapolation of toxic indices among test objects

PubMed Central

Tichý, Miloň; Rucki, Marián; Roth, Zdeněk; Hanzlíková, Iveta; Vlková, Alena; Tumová, Jana; Uzlová, Rút

2010-01-01

Oligochaeta Tubifex tubifex, fish fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), hepatocytes isolated from rat liver and ciliated protozoan are absolutely different organisms and yet their acute toxicity indices correlate. Correlation equations for special effects were developed for a large heterogeneous series of compounds (QSAR, quantitative structure-activity relationships). Knowing those correlation equations and their statistic evaluation, one can extrapolate the toxic indices. The reason is that a common physicochemical property governs the biological effect, namely the partition coefficient between two unmissible phases, simulated generally by n-octanol and water. This may mean that the transport of chemicals towards a target is responsible for the magnitude of the effect, rather than reactivity, as one would assume suppose. PMID:21331180

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schlueter, M.A.; Guttman, S.I.; Oris, J.T.

Two populations of fathead minnows (F{sub 1}, offspring of survivors of an acute fluoranthene exposure; N{sub 1}, naive hatchery fish born in outdoor ponds) were concurrently exposed to approximately 850 {micro}g/L of copper for 132 h. During the exposure, 49% of the F{sub 1} and 85% of the N{sup 1} minnows died. A curled operculum deformity, detected in 54% of the F{sub 1} population, was significantly related to mortality. A failure time regression model, combining both the F{sup 1} and N{sub 1} populations together, was fit to examine the relationship between population type (F{sub 1} or N{sub 1}), body conditionmore » (weight/length{sup 3}), presence of an operculum deformity, and different allozymes on time to death (TTD). The model indicated that type of population, body condition, the presence of an operculum deformity, and three loci (GPI-I{sup *}, IDHP-1{sup *}, and MDH-2{sup *}) were significantly related to TTD. The F{sub 1} minnows had a higher survival rate and longer average TTD compared to N{sub 1} minnows. In comparison to the N{sub 1} population, the F{sub 1} population possessed a higher frequency of genotypes associated with increased survivorship at the IDHP-1{sup *} and MDH-2{sup *} loci. Weight (and body condition) was negatively correlated with survivorship. Minnows with a severe operculum deformity, believed to be a result of parental exposure to fluoranthene, had a 100% mortality rate and exhibited a considerably reduced TTD compared to nondeformed minnows. Multilocus heterozygosity was not related to TTD for either population. This study indicates that genetic factors may exhibit stronger effects on survivorship than other factors (e.g., weight/body condition) commonly associated with fitness.« less

Assessment of biomarkers for contaminants of emerging concern on aquatic organisms downstream of a municipal wastewater discharge.

PubMed

Jasinska, Edyta J; Goss, Greg G; Gillis, Patricia L; Van Der Kraak, Glen J; Matsumoto, Jacqueline; de Souza Machado, Anderson A; Giacomin, Marina; Moon, Thomas W; Massarsky, Andrey; Gagné, Francois; Servos, Mark R; Wilson, Joanna; Sultana, Tamanna; Metcalfe, Chris D

2015-10-15

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), including pharmaceuticals, personal care products and estrogens, are detected in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges. However, analytical monitoring of wastewater and surface water does not indicate whether CECs are affecting the organisms downstream. In this study, fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and freshwater mussels Pyganodon grandis Say, 1829 (synonym: Anodonta grandis Say, 1829) were caged for 4 weeks in the North Saskatchewan River, upstream and downstream of the discharge from the WWTP that serves the Edmonton, AB, Canada. Passive samplers deployed indicated that concentrations of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, an estrogen (estrone) and an androgen (androstenedione) were elevated at sites downstream of the WWTP discharge. Several biomarkers of exposure were significantly altered in the tissues of caged fathead minnows and freshwater mussels relative to the upstream reference sites. Biomarkers altered in fish included induction of CYP3A metabolism, an increase in vitellogenin (Vtg) gene expression in male minnows, elevated ratios of oxidized to total glutathione (i.e. GSSG/TGSH), and an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (i.e. glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase). In mussels, there were no significant changes in biomarkers of oxidative stress and the levels of Vtg-like proteins were reduced, not elevated, indicating a generalized stress response. Immune function was altered in mussels, as indicated by elevated lysosomal activity per hemocyte in P. grandis caged closest to the wastewater discharge. This immune response may be due to exposure to bacterial pathogens in the wastewater. Multivariate analysis indicated a response to the CECs Carbamazepine (CBZ) and Trimethoprim (TPM). Overall, these data indicate that there is a 1 km zone of impact for aquatic organisms downstream of WWTP discharge. However, multiple stressors in municipal wastewater make measurement and interpretation of impact of CECs difficult since water temperature, conductivity and bacteria are also inducing biomarker responses in both fish and mussels. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of methimazole on development of the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas, from embryo to adult.

PubMed

Crane, Helen M; Pickford, Daniel B; Hutchinson, Thomas H; Brown, J Anne

2006-10-01

The importance of thyroid hormones in regulating early developmental processes of many amphibian and fish species is well known, but the impacts of exposure to disrupters of thyroid homeostasis during the embryo-larval-juvenile transitions are unclear. To investigate these impacts, fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, were exposed to a model thyroid axis disrupter, methimazole, an inhibitor of thyroid hormone synthesis, at control (0), 32, 100, and 320 mug/l, starting at <24-h postfertilization, for 28, 56, and 83/84 days postfertilization (dpf). Thyroid disruption was evident at 28 dpf, when survival was significantly reduced by 32 or 100 mug/l methimazole concomitant with a reduced thyroxine (T(4)) content. However, the T(3) content of these fish was similar to that of control fish, and body mass was unaffected (as in all groups), suggesting compensatory mechanisms overcame reduced T(4) synthesis. At the highest concentration of methimazole (320 mug/l), activation of feedback mechanisms on the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis was suggested by the normal T(4) content after 28 dpf exposure to methimazole, although triiodothyronine (T(3)) content of these fish was significantly reduced. The generally less pronounced disruption of thyroid hormone homeostasis after 56 days exposure to methimazole also suggests compensatory mechanisms in juvenile/adult fish that may regulate T(4) content, despite exposure to methimazole at 32 or 100 mug/l (in fish held in 320 mug/l methimazole, the T(4) content was significantly higher than in controls). Whole body T(3) content at 56 dpf was significantly depressed only in fish held in 100 mug/l methimazole. By 83/84 dpf, length, body mass, and thyroid hormone concentrations were similar in all experimental groups and controls, indicating that adult fish may achieve regulation of their thyroid axis despite prolonged exposures to thyroid disruptors throughout early development.

The effects of a secondary-treated bleached kraft mill effluent on aquatic organisms as assessed by short-term and long-term laboratory tests.

PubMed

Kovacs, T G; Gibbons, J S; Tremblay, L A; O'Connor, B I; Martel, P H; Voss, R H

1995-06-01

The chronic effects of secondary-treated effluent from a bleached kraft mill were assessed by means of long-term and short-term laboratory tests. In the long-term test, the effects of the effluent on the life cycle of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were studied. In this experiment, which began with the egg stage and continued through to sexual maturity and reproduction, the fish were exposed in the laboratory to well water (control) and five concentrations (viz., 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, or 20%) of effluent for 275 days. The effluent concentrations did not significantly affect the hatching of the eggs, the mortality of the hatched fish, the incidence of visible morphological abnormalities, the mortality and the hatchability of the first generation eggs and larvae, and the weights of minnows at various stages of development. Based on a conservative evaluation of the data, a significant finding of this work was that effluent concentrations > or = 2.5% caused lower egg production as well as changes in the gender balance (i.e., increased numbers of individuals with male secondary sexual characteristics) of the fish. Further work is required to understand the causes and ecological significance of these findings. Two short-term tests, each lasting 7 days, were also run. In one, even 100% effluent did not reduce the survival or growth of minnow larvae, correctly predicting the lack of effluent effects on similar endpoints in the long-term test. In the other short-term test, while the survival of Ceriodaphnia was also unaffected by 100% effluent, their reproductive capacity was reduced, but only at effluent concentrations an order of magnitude greater than those affecting the reproduction of minnows in the long-term test.

Effects of the fungicide imazalil on the fathead minnow ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Since its introduction in 1983 imazalil has been used primarily as a fungicide on crops post-harvest, such as tubers and citrus fruits. Its effectiveness lies in the ability to inhibit the fungal enzyme, lanosterol 14 á-demethylase. However, like other azole fungicides, imazalil can inhibit a range of cytochrome p450 enzymes, including one or more involved in steroid biosynthesis. Previous in vitro and high throughput screening assays showed that imazalil can cause aromatase inhibition and reduce 17â-estradiol (E2) production by H295R cells. In the present study, we tested imazalil in a number of in vitro and in vivo bioassays with fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to evaluate whether it would elicit effects consistent with an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) linking inhibition of aromatase to reduced fecundity. Ex vivo ovarian E2 and testosterone (T) production by ovary tissue from reproductively mature female P. promelas exposed to imazalil for 24 h at concentrations of 100, 500 and 1580 µg/L were significantly lower (p<0.05) than controls. Plasma E2 concentrations of females exposed for 24 h were significantly lower at imazalil concentrations of 80 and 250 µg/L, but not 2.5, 8, and 25 µg/L. In a separate 60 h exposure, plasma E2 concentrations were significantly lower than controls in mature P. promelas exposed to 200 ìg imazalil/L, but not at 0.2, 2, or 20 ug/L. Real-time quantitative PCR analyses measuring relative abundance of mRNA transcripts for v

Chronic nitrate exposure alters reproductive physiology in fathead minnows.

PubMed

Kellock, Kristen A; Moore, Adrian P; Bringolf, Robert B

2018-01-01

Nitrate is a ubiquitous aquatic pollutant that is commonly associated with eutrophication and dead zones in estuaries around the world. At high concentrations nitrate is toxic to aquatic life but at environmental concentrations it has also been purported as an endocrine disruptor in fish. To investigate the potential for nitrate to cause endocrine disruption in fish, we conducted a lifecycle study with fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to nitrate (0, 11.3, and 56.5 mg/L (total nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3 -N)) from <24 h post hatch to sexual maturity (209 days). Body mass, condition factor, gonadal somatic index (GSI), incidence of intersex, and vitellogenin induction were determined in mature male and female fish and plasma 11-keto testosterone (11-KT) was measured in males only. In nitrate-exposed males both 11-KT and vitellogenin were significantly induced when compared with controls. No significant differences occurred for body mass, condition factor, or GSI among males and intersex was not observed in any of the nitrate treatments. Nitrate-exposed females also had significant increases in vitellogenin compared to controls but no significant differences for mass, condition factor, or GSI were observed in nitrate exposed groups. Estradiol was used as a positive control for vitellogenin induction. Our findings suggest that environmentally relevant nitrate levels may disrupt steroid hormone synthesis and/or metabolism in male and female fish and may have implications for fish reproduction, watershed management, and regulation of nutrient pollution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acute and chronic toxicity of boron to a variety of freshwater organisms.

PubMed

Soucek, David J; Dickinson, Amy; Koch, Brian T

2011-08-01

Boron enters the aquatic environment from various sources, including weathering of borates, sewage effluents, coal combustion, use of cleaning compounds, and agrochemicals. The present study was designed to generate data on acute and chronic boron toxicity in support of an update of water quality standards in Illinois, USA. We examined the acute toxicity of boron to eight different freshwater organisms including a fish, an insect, two crustaceans, and four bivalve mollusks. To our knowledge, this is the first study to present data on the toxicity of boron to freshwater mollusks. We also sought to clarify whether hardness or pH affect boron toxicity to aquatic life, and to quantify chronic effect levels in two freshwater species. Sensitivity among the various species ranged widely, with the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) being the most sensitive. Neither pH nor hardness had a consistent effect on acute boron toxicity to two crustaceans (Ceriodaphnia dubia and Hyalella azteca), but we observed evidence that chloride reduces boron toxicity to H. azteca. The fathead minnow, while more acutely sensitive than the other species, had a lower acute to chronic ratio than did H. azteca, which had reduced reproduction at 13 mg/L. While we do not know the extent to which the eight tested species represent the range of sensitivities of native but untested species in Illinois, the current water quality standard for Illinois (1 mg/L) is conservative with regard to the native species tested thus far. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Effects of the fungicide imazalil on the fathead minnow ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Since its introduction in 1983, imazalil has been used primarily as a fungicide on crops post-harvest. Its effectiveness lies in the ability to inhibit the fungal cytochrome P450 (cyp), lanosterol 14 á-demethylase. However, like other azole fungicides, imazalil can inhibit a range of cyp enzymes, including one or more involved in steroid biosynthesis in vertebrates. Previous in vitro assays showed that imazalil can cause aromatase inhibition and reduce 17â-estradiol (E2) production by H295R cells. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of imazalil in a 21 d Fish Short-Term Reproduction Assay (FSTRA) with fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to evaluate whether the chemical would elicit effects consistent with an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) linking inhibition of aromatase to reduced fecundity. Fish were sampled at two time points (10, 21 d) and several endpoints (including key events [KE]s) associated with the AOP were measured. Fecundity also was determined daily. These data, combined with results of two previous exposures of 24 h and 60 h, produce a full time-course of effects. Ex vivo ovarian E2 production in females exposed to imazalil was significantly lower (p<0.05) than controls after 24 h at concentrations of 100, 500, and 1580 µg/L and remained significantly lower at 60 h, 10 d, and 21 d in fish exposed to 200 µg/L. Plasma E2 concentrations from females exposed for 24 h were significantly lower at imazalil concentrations of 80 and 250 µg/

Experimental infection of six North American fish species with the North Carolina strain of spring Viremia of Carp Virus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Emmenegger, Eveline J.; Sanders, George E.; Conway, Carla M.; Binkowski, Fred P.; Winton, James R.; Kurath, Gael

2016-01-01

Three salmonid species, rainbow and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha), and sockeye salmon (O. nerka), were challenged by immersion or injection with the North Carolina SVCV isolate. Two cyprinid species, koi and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and one percid species, yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were also challenged. Koi were highly susceptible to SVCV up to 11 months of age and fathead minnows had chronic disease expression with moderate mortality (29%). SVCV also induced moderate mortalities (33%) in yellow perch fry. Virus challenged salmonid fish had cumulative percent mortalities ranging from 0 to 100%, with sockeye salmon fry being the most vulnerable. A sub-sample of mortalities and survivors were screened for virus by plaque assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. In general, all mortalities tested positive for SVCV with high viral titers while survivors had variable persistence of SVCV with overall lower virus titers. Our SVCV challenges of multiple North American fish species suggested that host age is a key factor in determining disease outcome. Other factors, such as fish broodstock, virus strain, water temperature, and rearing conditions in association with the intrinsic level of species susceptibility may also impact infection dynamics. This is the first report of SVCV infecting a species (yellow perch) in the family Percidae and that sockeye salmon fry can suffer similarly high mortalities as the primary SVCV host species.

In situ and laboratory toxicity of coalbed natural gas produced waters with elevated sodium bicarbonate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Farag, Aïda M.; Harper, David D.; Skaar, Don

2014-01-01

Some tributaries in the Powder River Structural Basin, USA, were historically ephemeral, but now contain water year round as a result of discharge of coalbed natural gas (CBNG)-produced waters. This presented the opportunity to study field sites with 100% effluent water with elevated concentrations of sodium bicarbonate. In situ experiments, static renewal experiments performed simultaneously with in situ experiments, and static renewal experiments performed with site water in the laboratory demonstrated that CBNG-produced water reduces survival of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus). Age affected survival of fathead minnow, where fish 2 d posthatch (dph) were more sensitive than 6 dph fish, but pallid sturgeon survival was adversely affected at both 4 and 6 dph. This may have implications for acute assays that allow for the use of fish up to 14 dph. The survival of early lifestage fish is reduced significantly in the field when concentrations of NaHCO3 rise to more than 1500 mg/L (also expressed as >1245 mg HCO3 (-) /L). Treatment with the Higgin's Loop technology and dilution of untreated water increased survival in the laboratory. The mixing zones of the 3 outfalls studied ranged from approximately 800 m to 1200 m below the confluence. These experiments addressed the acute toxicity of effluent waters but did not address issues related to the volumes of water that may be added to the watershed.

Effects of gemfibrozil on lipid metabolism, steroidogenesis, and reproduction in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Skolness, Sarah Y; Durhan, Elizabeth J; Jensen, Kathleen M; Kahl, Michael D; Makynen, Elizabeth A; Villeneuve, Daniel L; Ankley, Gerald T

2012-11-01

Fibrates are a class of pharmaceuticals that indirectly modulate cholesterol biosynthesis through effects on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. Gemfibrozil is a fibrate that has been detected in wastewater treatment plant influents, effluents, and drinking water. The objective of the present study was to assess the potential physiological and reproductive impacts of gemfibrozil on fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Fish were exposed to gemfibrozil in two different studies. The first was a short-term test with water concentrations of 0, 15, and 600 µg gemfibrozil/L, sampling after 2 or 8 d of exposure. Plasma cholesterol concentrations were significantly reduced in males exposed to 600 µg gemfibrozil/L for 8 d. In addition, expression of several hepatic genes important to lipid metabolism was altered, suggesting that gemfibrozil does affect lipid metabolism in fish. A 21-d study was conducted to investigate further the effects on lipid metabolism and steroidogenesis as well as to assess potential impacts of gemfibrozil on reproduction. Fish were exposed to water concentrations of 0, 1.5, 15, 600, and 1,500 µg gemfibrozil/L. Exposure to 1,500 µg gemfibrozil/L caused a modest, but not significant, reduction in fecundity. However, gemfibrozil had no consistent effect on plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, or sex steroids after 21 d of exposure. The present study showed no evidence for significant physiological or reproductive impacts of gemfibrozil at an environmentally relevant concentration of 1.5 µg/L. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Evaluation of potential mechanisms of atrazine-induced reproductive impairment in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richter, Cathy; Papoulias, Diana M.; Whyte, Jeffrey J.; Tillitt, Donald E.

2016-01-01

Atrazine has been implicated in reproductive dysfunction of exposed organisms, and previous studies documented decreased egg production in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) and fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) during 30-d to 38-d exposures to 0.5 µg/L, 5 µg/L, and 50 µg/L atrazine. The authors evaluated possible mechanisms underlying the reduction in egg production. Gene expression in steroidogenesis pathways and the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad axis of male and female fish was measured. Atrazine did not significantly induce gonad aromatase (cyp19a1a) expression. An atrazine-induced shift in the number of females in an active reproductive state was observed. Expression of the egg maturation genes vitellogenin 1 (vtg1) and zona pellucida glycoprotein 3.1 (zp3.1) in medaka females was correlated and had a bimodal distribution. In both species, females with low vtg1 or zp3.1 expression also had low expression of steroidogenesis genes in the gonad, estrogen receptor in the liver, and gonadotropins in the brain. In the medaka, the number of females per tank that had high expression of zp3.1 was significantly correlated with egg production per tank. The number of medaka females with low expression of zp3.1 increased significantly with atrazine exposure. Thus, the decline in egg production observed in response to atrazine exposure may be the result of a coordinated downregulation of genes required for reproduction in a subset of females.

Ammonia causes decreased brain monoamines in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ronan, Patrick J.; Gaikowski, Mark P.; Hamilton, Steven J.; Buhl, Kevin J.; Summers, Cliff H.

2007-01-01

Hyperammonemia, arising from variety of disorders, leads to severe neurological dysfunction. The mechanisms of ammonia toxicity in brain are not completely understood. This study investigated the effects of ammonia on monoaminergic systems in brains of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Fish serve as a good model system to investigate hyperammonemic effects on brain function since no liver manipulations are necessary to increase endogenous ammonia concentrations. Using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, monoamines and some associated metabolites were measured from whole brain homogenate. Adult males were exposed for 48 h to six different concentrations of ammonia (0.01–2.36 mg/l unionized) which bracketed the 96-h LC50 for this species. Ammonia concentration-dependent decreases were found for the catecholamines (norepinephrine and dopamine) and the indoleamine serotonin (5-HT). After an initial increase in the 5-HT precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan it too decreased with increasing ammonia concentrations. There were also significant increases in the 5-HIAA/5-HT and DOPAC/DA ratios, often used as measures of turnover. There were no changes in epinephrine (Epi) or monoamine catabolites (DOPAC, 5-HIAA) at any ammonia concentrations tested. Results suggest that ammonia causes decreased synthesis while also causing increased release and degradation. Increased release may underlie behavioral reactions to ammonia exposure in fish. This study adds weight to a growing body of evidence demonstrating that ammonia leads to dysfunctional monoaminergic systems in brain which may underlie neurological symptoms associated with human disorders such as hepatic encephalopathy.

Studies of the environmental fate and effect of aircraft deicing fluids: Detection of 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cancilla, Devon A.; Baird, J.C.; Geis, S.W.; Corsi, Steven R.

2003-01-01

This paper presents the results of a number of field and laboratory studies to evaluate the environmental impact of aircraft deicing and anti-icing fluids (ADAFs) on aquatic systems. Both 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (5-MeBt) and 4-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (4-MeBt), known additives to ADAFs, were found in whole-tissue extracts from minnows placed downstream of an effluent outfall that receives ADAF contaminated runoff from General Mitchell International Airport (Milwaukee, WI, USA). Neither of these compounds was detected in tissues from minnows placed upstream from the airport. A toxicity assessment of water collected during the minnow exposure studies utilizing Hyalella azteca, Pimephales promelas, and Ceriodaphnia dubia showed greater toxicity in a secondary airport outfall containing ADAFs when compared to upstream non-ADAF-contaminated samples. In two 28-d static renewal tests using 5-MeBt laboratory-fortified waters, 5-MeBt was detected in whole-tissue extracts of minnows at all concentrations tested. In studies using laboratory water fortified with 5-MeBt, the median lethal concentration (LC50) of 5-MeBt for P. promelas was found to be 22.0 mg/L. The LC50 for C. dubia to 5-MeBt laboratory-fortified water was found to be 81.3 mg/L. The 25% inhibition concentration (IC25) of 5-MeBt for the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum was 23.2 mg/L, and the average median effective concentration (EC50) for Microtox was 4.25 mg/L. The results of these field and lab studies indicate that additives, other than glycols, used in aircraft deicing fluids can be found in aquatic systems and may be of greater risk than previously believed.

Studies of the environmental fate and effect of aircraft deicing fluids: detection of 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Cancilla, Devon A; Baird, J Christopher; Geis, Steven W; Corsi, Steven R

2003-01-01

This paper presents the results of a number of field and laboratory studies to evaluate the environmental impact of aircraft deicing and anti-icing fluids (ADAFs) on aquatic systems. Both 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (5-MeBt) and 4-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (4-MeBt), known additives to ADAFs, were found in whole-tissue extracts from minnows placed downstream of an effluent outfall that receives ADAF contaminated runoff from General Mitchell International Airport (Milwaukee, WI, USA). Neither of these compounds was detected in tissues from minnows placed upstream from the airport. A toxicity assessment of water collected during the minnow exposure studies utilizing Hyalella azteca, Pimephales promelas, and Ceriodaphnia dubia showed greater toxicity in a secondary airport outfall containing ADAFs when compared to upstream non-ADAF-contaminated samples. In two 28-d static renewal tests using 5-MeBt laboratory-fortified waters, 5-MeBt was detected in whole-tissue extracts of minnows at all concentrations tested. In studies using laboratory water fortified with 5-MeBt, the median lethal concentration (LC50) of 5-MeBt for P. promelas was found to be 22.0 mg/L. The LC50 for C. dubia to 5-MeBt laboratory-fortified water was found to be 81.3 mg/L. The 25% inhibition concentration (IC25) of 5-MeBt for the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum was 23.2 mg/L, and the average median effective concentration (EC50) for Microtox was 4.25 mg/L. The results of these field and lab studies indicate that additives, other than glycols, used in aircraft deicing fluids can be found in aquatic systems and may be of greater risk than previously believed.

Selected chemical characteristics and acute toxicity of urban stormwater, streamflow, and bed material, Maricopa County, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lopes, T.J.; Fossum, K.D.

1995-01-01

Statistical analyses indicated that urban stormwater could degrade the quality of streamflow because of oil and grease, pesticides, dissolved trace metals, and ammonia in stormwater. Ammonia, lead, cadmium, and zinc are released by urban activities and accumulate in bed material. Ammonia could be from fertilizers, fecal matter, and other sources. Lead is probably from vehicles that use leaded gasoline. Cadmium and zinc could be from particulate metal in oil, brake pads, and other sources. Samples of the initial runoff from urban drainage basins appeared to be more toxic than flow-weighted composite samples, and stormwater was more harmful to fathead minnows than to Ceriodaphnia dubia. Streamflow samples from the Salt River were not toxic to either species. The sensitivity of fathead minnows to urban stormwater from most urban drainage basins indicated that the toxicants were detrimental to fish and could be present in stormwater throughout Phoenix. Results of toxicity identification evaluations indicated the toxicity was mostly due to organic constituents. Mortality, however, did not correlate with organophosphate pesticide concentrations. Surfactants and (or) other constituents leached from asphalt could be toxic. The most toxic bed-material samples were collected from an undeveloped drainage basin. Within urban-drainage basins, bed-material samples collected where stormwater accumulates appeared to be more toxic than samples collected from areas unaffected by stormwater. Mortality rates correlated with recoverable concentrations of zinc, copper, and cadmium; however these rates correlated poorly with pesticide concentrations. The bioavailability of trace metals appeared to be controlled by the adsorption properties of bed material.

Assessing effects of a mining and municipal sewage effluent mixture on fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproduction using a novel, field-based trophic-transfer artificial stream.

PubMed

Rickwood, Carrie J; Dubé, Monique G; Weber, Lynn P; Lux, Sarah; Janz, David M

2008-01-31

The Junction Creek watershed, located in Sudbury, ON, Canada receives effluent from three metal mine wastewater treatment plants, as well as a municipal wastewater (MWW) discharge. Effects on fish have been documented within the creek (decreased egg size and increased metal body burdens). It has been difficult to identify the cause of the effects observed due to the confounded nature of the creek. The objectives of this investigation were to assess the: (1) effects of a mine effluent and municipal wastewater (CCMWW) mixture on fathead minnow (FHM; Pimephales promelas) reproduction in an on-site artificial stream and (2) importance of food (Chironomus tentans) as a source of exposure using a trophic-transfer system. Exposures to CCMWW through the water significantly decreased egg production and spawning events. Exposure through food and water using the trophic-transfer system significantly increased egg production and spawning events. Embryos produced in the trophic-transfer system showed similar hatching success but increased incidence and severity of deformities after CCMWW exposure. We concluded that effects of CCMWW on FHM were more apparent when exposed through the water. Exposure through food and water may have reduced effluent toxicity, possibly due to increased nutrients and organic matter, which may have reduced metal bioavailability. More detailed examination of metal concentrations in the sediment, water column, prey (C. tentans) and FHM tissues is recommended to better understand the toxicokinetics of potential causative compounds within the different aquatic compartments when conducting exposures through different pathways.

Mode of sexual differentiation and its influence on the relative sensitivity of the fathead minnow and zebrafish in the fish sexual development test.

PubMed

Thorpe, Karen L; Pereira, Maria L a Marca; Schiffer, Heidi; Burkhardt-Holm, Patricia; Weber, Klaus; Wheeler, James R

2011-10-01

Exogenous treatment of fish with natural sex hormones and their mimics has been shown to influence gonadal differentiation resulting in biased phenotypic sex-ratios. This has lead to the development of the Fish Sexual Development Test (FSDT) as a method for the detection of endocrine active chemicals. Proposed test organisms include the medaka, zebrafish (ZF) and stickleback, although the guideline also allows for inclusion of species such as the fathead minnow (FHM), provided the test duration allows for sufficient sexual differentiation. However, although the processes underlying sexual differentiation are known to differ for each of these species, it is not known how, or if, these differences would influence the results of the FSDT. In the experiments reported here, responses of the ZF and FHM to prochloraz, a sterol biosynthesis inhibitor and androgen antagonist, were characterized and compared. Exposure to 320 μg/L of prochloraz, from embryo until 60 (ZF) or 95-125 (FHM) days post hatch inhibited somatic growth of both species, but while a negative impact on ZF larval survival was observed (LOEC 32 μg/L) there was no evidence for an effect on FHM larval survival. Prochloraz influenced sexual differentiation in both species by decreasing the proportion of females (LOEC 100 μg/L (ZF), 320 μg/L (FHM)) and delaying completion of sexual differentiation; manifest as an increased incidence of ovotestis in the ZF (LOEC 100 μg/L) and as an increased number of fish with undifferentiated gonads in the FHM (LOEC 320 μg/L). However, while exposure to 320 μg/L prochloraz delayed maturation of the differentiated FHM testis, there was no such effect in the ZF. These results demonstrate that the different strategy of sexual differentiation in the ZF and FHM influences the profile of responses of their gonads to the masculinising effects of prochloraz, but does not affect their overall sensitivity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tissue explant coculture model of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) as a predictive tool for endocrine disruption.

PubMed

Johnston, Theresa K; Perkins, Edward; Ferguson, Duncan C; Cropek, Donald M

2016-10-01

Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) can impact the reproductive system by interfering with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Although in vitro testing methods have been developed to screen chemicals for endocrine disruption, extrapolation of in vitro responses to in vivo action shows inconsistent accuracy. The authors describe a tissue coculture of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) HPG axis and liver (HPG-L) as a tissue explant model that mimics in vivo results. Brain (hypothalamus), pituitary, gonad, and liver tissue explants from adult fish were examined for function both individually and in coculture to determine combinations and conditions that could replicate in vivo behavior. Only cocultures had the ability to respond to an EDC, trenbolone, similarly to in vivo studies, based on estradiol, testosterone, and vitellogenin production trends, where lower exposure doses suppressed hormone production but higher doses increased production, resulting in distinctive U-shaped curves. These data suggest that a coculture system with all components of the HPG-L axis can be used as a link between in vitro and in vivo studies to predict endocrine system disruption in whole organisms. This tissue-based HPG-L system acts as a flexible deconstructed version of the in vivo system for better control and examination of the minute changes in system operation and response on EDC exposure with options to isolate, interrogate, and recombine desired components. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2530-2541. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

Direct and indirect responses of a freshwater food web to a potent synthetic oestrogen

PubMed Central

Kidd, Karen A.; Paterson, Michael J.; Rennie, Michael D.; Podemski, Cheryl L.; Findlay, Dave L.; Blanchfield, Paul J.; Liber, Karsten

2014-01-01

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in municipal effluents directly affect the sexual development and reproductive success of fishes, but indirect effects on invertebrate prey or fish predators through reduced predation or prey availability, respectively, are unknown. At the Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario, Canada, a long-term, whole-lake experiment was conducted using a before-after-control-impact design to determine both direct and indirect effects of the synthetic oestrogen used in the birth control pill, 17α-ethynyloestradiol (EE2). Algal, microbial, zooplankton and benthic invertebrate communities showed no declines in abundance during three summers of EE2 additions (5–6 ng l−1), indicating no direct toxic effects. Recruitment of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) failed, leading to a near-extirpation of this species both 2 years during (young-of-year, YOY) and 2 years following (adults and YOY) EE2 additions. Body condition of male lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and male and female white sucker (Catostomus commersonii) declined before changes in prey abundance, suggesting direct effects of EE2 on this endpoint. Evidence of indirect effects of EE2 was also observed. Increases in zooplankton, Chaoborus, and emerging insects were observed after 2 or 3 years of EE2 additions, strongly suggesting indirect effects mediated through the reduced abundance of several small-bodied fishes. Biomass of top predator lake trout declined by 23–42% during and after EE2 additions, most probably an indirect effect from the loss of its prey species, the fathead minnow and slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus). Our results demonstrate that small-scale studies focusing solely on direct effects are likely to underestimate the true environmental impacts of oestrogens in municipal wastewaters and provide further evidence of the value of whole-ecosystem experiments for understanding indirect effects of EDCs and other aquatic stressors. PMID:25405967

Effects of a test flood on fishes of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Valdez, R.A.; Hoffnagle, T.L.; McIvor, C.C.; McKinney, T.; Leibfried, W.C.

2001-01-01

A beach/habitat-building flow (i.e., test flood) of 1274 m3/s, released from Glen Canyon Dam down the Colorado River through Grand Canyon, had little effect on distribution, abundance, or movement of native fishes, and only short-term effects on densities of some nonnative species Shoreline and backwater catch rates of native fishes, including juvenile humpback chub (Gila cypha), flannelmouth suckers (Catostomus latipinnis), and bluehead suckers (C. discobolus), and all ages of speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), were not significantly different before and after the flood. Annual spring spawning migrations of flannelmouth suckers into the Paria River and endangered humpback chub into the Little Colorado River (LCR) took place during and after the flood, indicating no impediment to fish migrations. Pre-spawning adults staged in large slack water pools formed at the mouths of these tributaries during the flood. Net movement and habitat used by nine radio-tagged adult humpback chub during the flood were not significantly different from prior observations. Diet composition of adult humpback chub varied, but total biomass did not differ significantly before, during, and after the flood, indicating opportunistic feeding for a larger array of available food items displaced by the flood. Numbers of nonnative rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) <152 mm total length decreased by ???8% in electrofishing samples from the dam tailwaters (0-25 km downstream of the dam) during the flood. Increased catch rates in the vicinity of the LCR (125 km downstream of the dam) and Hell's Hollow (314 km downstream of the dam) suggest that these young trout were displaced downstream by the flood, although displacement distance was unknown since some fish could have originated from local populations associated with intervening tributaries. Abundance, catch rate, body condition, and diet of adult rainbow trout in the dam tailwaters were not significantly affected by the flood, and the flood did not detrimentally affect spawning success; catch of young-of-year increased by 20% in summer following the flood. Post-flood catch rates of nonnative fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) in shorelines and backwaters, and plains killifish (Fundulus zebrinus) in backwaters decreased in the vicinity of the LCR, and fathead minnows increased near Hell's Hollow, suggesting that the flood displaced this nonnative species. Densities of rainbow trout and fathead minnows recovered to pre-flood levels eight months after the flood by reinvasion from tributaries and reproduction in backwaters. We concluded that the flood was of insufficient magnitude to substantially reduce populations of nonnative fishes, but that similar managed floods can disadvantage alien predators and competitors and enhance survival of native fishes.

An evaluation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in the Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay and the Fish Short-Term Reproduction Assay.

PubMed

Coady, Katherine; Marino, Troy; Thomas, Johnson; Sosinski, Lindsay; Neal, Barbara; Hammond, Larry

2013-04-01

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was evaluated in both the Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay (AMA) and the Fish Short Term Reproduction Assay (FSTRA). In the AMA, tadpoles were exposed to mean measured 2,4-D concentrations of 0 (water control), 0.273, 3.24, 38.0 and 113 mg acid equivalents (ae)/L for either seven or 21 days. In the FSTRA, fathead minnows were exposed to mean measured 2,4-D concentrations of 0 (water control), 0.245, 3.14, 34.0, and 96.5 mg ae/L for 21 days. The respective concentrations of 2,4-D were not overtly toxic to either Xenopus laevis tadpoles or fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). In the AMA, there were no signs of either advanced or delayed development, asynchronous development, or significant histopathological effects of the thyroid gland among 2,4-D exposed tadpoles evaluated on either day seven or day 21 of the exposure. Therefore, following the AMA decision logic, 2,4-D is considered "likely thyroid inactive" in the AMA with a No Observable Effect Concentration (NOEC) of 113 mg ae 2,4-D/L. In the FSTRA, there were no significant differences between control and 2,4-D exposed fish in regard to fertility, wet weight, length, gonado-somatic indices, tubercle scores, or blood plasma concentrations of vitellogenin. Furthermore, there were no treatment-related histopathologic changes in the testes or ovaries in any 2,4-D exposed group. The only significant effect was a decrease in fecundity among fish exposed to 96.5 mg ae 2,4-D/L. The cause of the reduced fecundity at the highest concentration of 2,4-D tested in the assay was most likely due to a generalized stress response in the fish, and not due to a specific endocrine mode of action of 2,4-D. Based on fish reproduction, the NOEC in the FSTRA was 34.0 mg ae 2,4-D/L. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of statistical and neural net approaches in predicting toxicity of chemicals.

PubMed

Basak, S C; Grunwald, G D; Gute, B D; Balasubramanian, K; Opitz, D

2000-01-01

Hierarchical quantitative structure-activity relationships (H-QSAR) have been developed as a new approach in constructing models for estimating physicochemical, biomedicinal, and toxicological properties of interest. This approach uses increasingly more complex molecular descriptors in a graduated approach to model building. In this study, statistical and neural network methods have been applied to the development of H-QSAR models for estimating the acute aquatic toxicity (LC50) of 69 benzene derivatives to Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow). Topostructural, topochemical, geometrical, and quantum chemical indices were used as the four levels of the hierarchical method. It is clear from both the statistical and neural network models that topostructural indices alone cannot adequately model this set of congeneric chemicals. Not surprisingly, topochemical indices greatly increase the predictive power of both statistical and neural network models. Quantum chemical indices also add significantly to the modeling of this set of acute aquatic toxicity data.

Dietary Exposure of Fathead Minnows to the Explosives TNT and RDX and to the Pesticide DDT using Contaminated Invertebrates

PubMed Central

Houston, Jerre G.; Lotufo, Guilherme R.

2005-01-01

Explosive compounds have been released into the environment during manufacturing, handling, and usage procedures. These compounds have been found to persist in the environment and potentially promote detrimental biological effects. The lack of research on bioaccumulation and bioconcentration and especially dietary transfer on aquatic life has resulted in challenges in assessing ecological risks. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential trophic transfer of the explosive compounds 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) using a realistic freshwater prey/predator model and using dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), a highly bioaccumulative compound, to establish relative dietary uptake potential. The oligochaete worm Lumbriculus variegatus was exposed to 14C-labeled TNT, RDX or DDT for 5 hours in water, frozen in meal-size packages and subsequently fed to individual juvenile fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Fish were sampled for body residue determination on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 14 following an 8-hour gut purging period. Extensive metabolism of the parent compound in worms occurred for TNT but not for RDX and DDT. Fish body residue remained relatively unchanged over time for TNT and RDX, but did not approach steady-state concentration for DDT during the exposure period. The bioaccumulation factor (concentration in fish relative to concentration in worms) was 0.018, 0.010, and 0.422 g/g for TNT, RDX and DDT, respectively, confirming the expected relatively low bioaccumulative potential for TNT and RDX through the dietary route. The experimental design was deemed successful in determining the potential for trophic transfer of organic contaminants via a realistic predator/prey exposure scenario. PMID:16705829

Social hierarchy modulates responses of fish exposed to contaminants of emerging concern.

PubMed

Ivanova, Jelena; Zhang, Shiju; Wang, Rong-Lin; Schoenfuss, Heiko L

2017-01-01

Many organisms, including the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), a toxicological model organism, establish social hierarchies. The social rank of each male in a population is under the control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis mainly through regulation of circulating androgen concentrations, which in turn drive the expression of secondary sex characteristics (SSCs). As dominant and subordinate males in an exposure study are initially under different physiological conditions (i.e., differing plasma androgen concentrations), we proposed that they belong to different subpopulations in the context of exposure to compounds that may interact with the HPG axis. Using a meta-analysis of our data from several previously published studies, we corroborated the hypothesis that social status, as indicated by SSCs, results in distinct clusters (eigenvalues >0.8 explaining >80% of variability) with differential expression of plasma vitellogenin, a commonly used biomarker of exposure to contaminants of emerging concern (CEC). Furthermore, we confirmed our predictions that exposure to estrogenic CECs would homogenize plasma vitellogenin response (E1: cluster mean SSC values decreased to 4.33 and 4.86 relative to those of control; E2: decreased to 4.8 and 5.37) across the social hierarchy. In contrast, serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors expand this response range (cluster mean SSC increased to 5.21 and 6.5 relative to those of control). Our results demonstrated that social hierarchies in male fathead minnows result in heterogeneous responses to chemical exposure. These results represent a cautionary note for the experimental design of single-sex exposure studies. We anticipate our study to be a starting point for the re-evaluation of toxicological data analyses in single sex exposure experiments.

ACCUMULATION AND DNA DAMAGE IN FATHEAD MINNOWS (PIMEPHALES PROMELAS) EXPOSED TO 2 BROMINATED FLAME-RETARDANT MIXTURES, FIREMASTER® 550 AND FIREMASTER® BZ-54

PubMed Central

BEARR, JONATHAN S.; STAPLETON, HEATHER M.; MITCHELMORE, CARYS L.

2015-01-01

Firemaster® 550 and Firemaster® BZ-54 are two brominated formulations that are in use as replacements for polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. Two major components of these mixtures are 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-ethylhexylbenzoate (TBB) and 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (TBPH). Both have been measured in environmental matrices; however, scant toxicological information exists. The present study aimed to determine if these brominated flame-retardant formulations are bioavailable and adversely affect DNA integrity in fish. Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were orally exposed to either FM 550, FM BZ54, or the nonbrominated form of TBPH, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) for 56 d and depurated (e.g., fed clean food) for 22 d. At several time points, liver and blood cells were collected and assessed for DNA damage. Homogenized fish tissues were extracted and analyzed on day 0 and day 56 to determine the residue of TBB and TBPH and the appearance of any metabolites using gas chromatography-electron-capture negative ion mass spectrometry (GC/ECNI-MS). Significant increases ( p<0.05) in DNA strand breaks from liver cells (but not blood cells) were observed during the exposure period compared with controls, although during depuration these levels returned to control. Both parent compounds, TBB and TBPH, were detected in tissues at approximately 1% of daily dosage along with brominated metabolites. The present study provides evidence for accumulation, metabolism, and genotoxicity of these new formulation flame retardants in fish and highlights the potential adverse effects of TBB- and TBPH-formulated fire retardants to aquatic species. PMID:20821500

Temperature and metal exposure affect membrane fatty acid composition and transcription of desaturases and elongases in fathead minnow muscle and brain.

PubMed

Fadhlaoui, Mariem; Pierron, Fabien; Couture, Patrice

2018-02-01

In this study, we tested the hypothesis that metal exposure affected the normal thermal response of cell membrane FA composition and of elongase and desaturase gene transcription levels. To this end, muscle and brain membrane FA composition and FA desaturase (fads2, degs2 and scd2) and elongase (elovl2, elovl5 and elovl6) gene transcription levels were analyzed in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) acclimated for eight weeks to 15, 25 or 30°C exposed or not to cadmium (Cd, 6μg/l) or nickel (Ni, 450 6μg/l). The response of membrane FA composition to temperature variations or metal exposure differed between muscle and brain. In muscle, an increase of temperature induced a decrease of polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and an increase of saturated FA (SFA) in agreement with the current paradigm. Although a similar response was observed in brain between 15 and 25°C, at 30°C, brain membrane unsaturation was higher than predicted. In both tissues, metal exposure affected the normal thermal response of membrane FA composition. The transcription of desaturases and elongases was higher in the brain and varied with acclimation temperature and metal exposure but these variations did not generally reflect changes in membrane FA composition. The mismatch between gene transcription and membrane composition highlights that several levels of control other than gene transcription are involved in adjusting membrane FA composition, including post-transcriptional regulation of elongases and desaturases and de novo phospholipid biosynthesis. Our study also reveals that metal exposure affects the mechanisms involved in adjusting cell membrane FA composition in ectotherms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential population and assemblage influences of non-native trout on native nongame fish in Nebraska headwater streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turek, Kelly C.; Pegg, Mark A.; Pope, Kevin L.; Schainost, Steve

2014-01-01

Non-native trout are currently stocked to support recreational fisheries in headwater streams throughout Nebraska. The influence of non-native trout introductions on native fish populations and their role in structuring fish assemblages in these systems is unknown. The objectives of this study were to determine (i) if the size structure or relative abundance of native fish differs in the presence and absence of non-native trout, (ii) if native fish-assemblage structure differs in the presence and absence of non-native trout and (iii) if native fish-assemblage structure differs across a gradient in abundances of non-native trout. Longnose dace Rhinichthys cataractae were larger in the presence of brown trout Salmo trutta and smaller in the presence of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss compared to sites without trout. There was also a greater proportion of larger white suckers Catostomus commersonii in the presence of brown trout. Creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus and fathead minnow Pimephales promelas size structures were similar in the presence and absence of trout. Relative abundances of longnose dace, white sucker, creek chub and fathead minnow were similar in the presence and absence of trout, but there was greater distinction in native fish-assemblage structure between sites with trout compared to sites without trout as trout abundances increased. These results suggest increased risk to native fish assemblages in sites with high abundances of trout. However, more research is needed to determine the role of non-native trout in structuring native fish assemblages in streams, and the mechanisms through which introduced trout may influence native fish populations.

High-resolution mass spectrometry of skin mucus for monitoring physiological impacts and contaminant biotransformation products in fathead minnows exposed to wastewater effluent.

PubMed

Mosley, Jonathan D; Ekman, Drew R; Cavallin, Jenna E; Villeneuve, Daniel L; Ankley, Gerald T; Collette, Timothy W

2018-03-01

High-resolution mass spectrometry is advantageous for monitoring physiological impacts and contaminant biotransformation products in fish exposed to complex wastewater effluent. We evaluated this technique using skin mucus from male and female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to control water or treated wastewater effluent at 5, 20, and 100% levels for 21 d, using an on-site, flow-through system providing real-time exposure. Both sex-specific and non-sex-specific responses were observed in the mucus metabolome, the latter suggesting the induction of general compensatory pathways for xenobiotic exposures. Altogether, 85 statistically significant treatment-dependent metabolite changes were observed out of the 310 total endogenous metabolites that were detected (156 of the 310 were annotated). Partial least squares-regression models revealed strong covariances between the mucus metabolomes and up-regulated hepatic messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) transcripts reported previously for these same fish. These regression models suggest that mucus metabolomic changes reflected, in part, processes by which the fish biotransformed xenobiotics in the effluent. In keeping with this observation, we detected a phase II transformation product of bisphenol A in the skin mucus of male fish. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the utility of mucus as a minimally invasive matrix for simultaneously assessing exposures and effects of environmentally relevant mixtures of contaminants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:788-796. Published 2017 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. Published 2017 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

Acute and chronic sensitivity to copper of a promising ecotoxicological model species, the annual killifish Nothobranchius furzeri.

PubMed

Philippe, Charlotte; Grégoir, Arnout F; Janssens, Lizanne; Pinceel, Tom; De Boeck, Gudrun; Brendonck, Luc

2017-10-01

Nothobranchius furzeri is a promising model for ecotoxicological research due to the species' short life cycle and the production of drought-resistant eggs. Although the species is an emerging vertebrate fish model for several fundamental as well as applied research domains, its potential for ecotoxicological research has not yet been tested. The aim of this study was to characterise the acute and chronic sensitivity of this species to copper as compared to other model organisms. Effects of both acute and chronic copper exposure were tested on survival, life history and physiological traits. We report a 24h-LC 50 of 53.93µg Cu/L, which is situated within the sensitivity range of other model species such as Brook Trout, Fathead Minnow and Rainbow Trout. Moreover, in the full life cycle exposure, we show that an exposure concentration of 10.27µg/L did not cause acute adverse effects (96h), but did cause mortality after prolonged exposure (3-4 weeks). Also chronic, sublethal effects were observed, such as a reduction in growth rate, delayed maturation and postponed reproduction. Based on our results, we define the NOEC at 6.68µg Cu/L, making N. furzeri more sensitive to copper as compared to Brook Trout and Fathead Minnow. We found stimulatory effects on peak fecundity at subinhibitory levels of copper concentrations (hormesis). Finally, we found indications for detoxifying and copper-excreting mechanisms, demonstrating the ability of the fish to cope with this essential metal, even when exposed to stressful amounts. The successful application of current ecotoxicological protocols on N. furzeri and its sensitivity range comparable to that of other model organisms forms the basis to exploit this species in further ecotoxicological practices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selective uptake and biological consequences of environmentally relevant antidepressant pharmaceutical exposures on male fathead minnows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schultz, Melissa M.; Painter, Meghan M.; Bartell, Stephen E.; Logue, Amanda; Furlong, Edward T.; Werner, Stephen L.; Schoenfuss, Heiko L.

2011-01-01

Antidepressant pharmaceuticals have been reported in wastewater effluent at the nanogram to low microgram-per-liter range, and include bupropion (BUP), fluoxetine (FLX), sertraline (SER), and venlafaxine (VEN). To assess the effects of antidepressants on reproductive anatomy, physiology, and behavior, adult male fathead minnows (Pimeplwles promelas) were exposed for 21 days either to a single concentration of the antidepressants FLX, SER, VEN, or BUP, or to an antidepressant mixture. The data demonstrated that exposure to VEN (305 ng/L and 1104 ng/L) and SER (5.2 ng/L) resulted in mortality. Anatomical alterations were noted within the testes of fish exposed to SER and FLX, both modulators of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Additionally, FLX at 28 ng/L induced vitellogenin in male fish—a common endpoint for estrogenic endocrine disruption. Significant alterations in male secondary sex characteristics were noted with single exposures. Effects of single compound exposures neither carried over, nor became additive in the antidepressant mixtures, and reproductive behavior was not affected. Analysis of brain tissues from the exposed fish suggested increased uptake of FLX, SER and BUP and minimal uptake of VEN when compared to exposure water concentrations. Furthermore, the only metabolite detected consistently in the brain tissues was norfluoxetine. Similar trends of uptake by brain tissue were observed when fish were exposed to antidepressant mixtures. The present study demonstrates that anatomy and physiology, but not reproductive behavior, can be disrupted by exposure to environmental concentrations of some antidepressants. The observation that antidepressant uptake into fish tissues is selective may have consequences on assessing the mode-of-action and effects of these compounds in future studies.

Selective uptake and biological consequences of environmentally relevant antidepressant pharmaceutical exposures on male fathead minnows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schultz, M.M.; Painter, M.M.; Bartell, S.E.; Logue, A.; Furlong, E.T.; Werner, S.L.; Schoenfuss, H.L.

2011-01-01

Antidepressant pharmaceuticals have been reported in wastewater effluent at the nanogram to low microgram-per-liter range, and include bupropion (BUP), fluoxetine (FLX), sertraline (SER), and venlafaxine (VEN). To assess the effects of antidepressants on reproductive anatomy, physiology, and behavior, adult male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exposed for 21 days either to a single concentration of the antidepressants FLX, SER, VEN, or BUP, or to an antidepressant mixture. The data demonstrated that exposure to VEN (305. ng/L and 1104. ng/L) and SER (5.2. ng/L) resulted in mortality. Anatomical alterations were noted within the testes of fish exposed to SER and FLX, both modulators of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Additionally, FLX at 28. ng/L induced vitellogenin in male fish-a common endpoint for estrogenic endocrine disruption. Significant alterations in male secondary sex characteristics were noted with single exposures. Effects of single compound exposures neither carried over, nor became additive in the antidepressant mixtures, and reproductive behavior was not affected. Analysis of brain tissues from the exposed fish suggested increased uptake of FLX, SER and BUP and minimal uptake of VEN when compared to exposure water concentrations. Furthermore, the only metabolite detected consistently in the brain tissues was norfluoxetine. Similar trends of uptake by brain tissue were observed when fish were exposed to antidepressant mixtures. The present study demonstrates that anatomy and physiology, but not reproductive behavior, can be disrupted by exposure to environmental concentrations of some antidepressants. The observation that antidepressant uptake into fish tissues is selective may have consequences on assessing the mode-of-action and effects of these compounds in future studies. ?? 2011 Elsevier B.V.

The genomic transcriptional response of female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to an acute exposure to the androgen, 17β-trenbolone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dorts, Jennifer; Richter, Catherine A.; Wright-Osment, Maureen K.; Ellersieck, Mark R.; Carter, Barbara J.; Tillitt, Donald E.

2009-01-01

We investigated the genomic transcriptional response of female fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to an acute (4 days) exposure to 0.1 or 1.0 ??g/L of 17??-trenbolone (TB), the active metabolite of an anabolic androgenic steroid used as a growth promoter in cattle and a contaminant of concern in aquatic systems. Our objectives were to investigate the gene expression profile induced by TB, define biomarkers of exposure to TB, and increase our understanding of the mechanisms of adverse effects of TB on fish reproduction. In female gonad tissue, microarray analysis using a 22 K oligonucleotide microarray (EcoArray Inc., Gainesville, FL) showed 99 significantly upregulated genes and 741 significantly downregulated genes in response to 1 ??g TB/L. In particular, hydroxysteroid (17??) dehydrogenase 12a (hsd17b12a), zona pellucida glycoprotein 2.2 (zp2.2), and protein inhibitor of activated STAT, 2 (pias2) were all downregulated in gonad. Q-PCR measurements in a larger sample set were consistent with the microarray results in the direction and magnitude of these changes in gene expression. However, several novel potential biomarkers were verified by Q-PCR in the same samples, but could not be validated in independent samples. In liver, Q-PCR measurements showed a significant decrease in vitellogenin 1 (vtg1) mRNA expression. In brain, cytochrome P450, family 19, subfamily A, polypeptide 1b (cyp19a1b, previously known as aromatase B) transcript levels were significantly reduced following TB exposure. Our study provides a candidate gene involved in mediating the action of TB, hsd17b12a, and two potential biomarkers sensitive to acute TB exposure, hepatic vtg1 and brain cyp19a1b.

Development of chronic tests for endocrine active chemicals. Part 2: an extended fish early-life stage test with an androgenic chemical in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Bogers, Rinus; De Vries-Buitenweg, Selinda; Van Gils, Mariëlle; Baltussen, Erik; Hargreaves, Adam; van de Waart, Beppy; De Roode, Daphne; Legler, Juliette; Murk, Albertinka

2006-11-16

The Endocrine Modulators Study Group (EMSG) of the European Chemical Industry has proposed an extended fish early-life stage (ELS) test based on OECD test guideline 210 in combination with a fish pair-breeding reproduction study as a possible alternative for fish full life cycle testing. In this paper the androgen methyldihydrotestosterone (MDHT) was tested in an extended ELS test with fathead minnow supplementary to such a test with the weak estrogen 4-tert-pentylphenol (4TPP). Main endpoints were secondary sexual characteristics (SSC), plasma vitellogenin (VTG) induction and gonadal development. Early blastula embryos were exposed to 0, 0.10, 0.32 and 1.0 microgMDHTl(-1) for up to 114 days post-hatch (dph). A batch of fish exposed to 1.0 microg l(-1) was transferred to clean water after 30 or 63 dph for the remainder of the study. Ethinylestradiol (EE2) was included as estrogenic reference substance at 0.01 microg l(-1). Exposure to MDHT had no significant effect on hatching success or survival, but significantly increased the condition factor of fish exposed for 63 and 114 dph (up to 150% of the control). At 63 dph MDHT exposure induced appearance of tubercles on the snout (a male SSC) of more than 80% of fish. Compared to the controls, plasma VTG was not detectable or significantly lower in fish exposed to MDHT at 0.10 microg/l, but not significantly affected at higher MDHT concentrations. Both lower levels of MDHT significantly inhibited the development of female gonads as of 30 dph. Fish exposed to MDHT at 0.32 and 1.0 microg l(-1) showed higher incidences of mixed sex gonads (10-25%) and smaller testes or dysplasia of gonadal tissue. Dysplasia was present in 80% of the fish continuously exposed to 1.0 microg l(-1) up to 114 dph, but reversible when fish were transferred to dilution water. Results indicate that suppression of ovarian development was the most sensitive endpoint for MDHT exposure after 30 dph. Other endpoints (e.g., growth and SSC) required exposure during at least up to 63 dph to yield a significant effect. Androgenic effects on VTG production required even longer exposure, i.e., until sufficient number of females had matured.

Evaluation of p,p'-DDT as a reference toxicant in bioassays

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marking, Leif L.

1966-01-01

p,p'-DDT was tested as a reference standard toxicant against 19 species of freshwater fish, including 39 lots from 10 sources. In particular, the rapidity, nonselectivity, and consistency of its toxicity to fish were evaluated in 96-hour static bioassays. The chemical was rapidly and consistently toxic to lake trout, carp, green sunfish, bluegill, and yellow perch. It lacked either rapid or consistent toxicity to rainbow trout, brook trout, goldfish, fathead minnows, and longear sunfish in 96-hour tests. Thus, p,p'-DDT is of limited usefulness as a reference standard toxicant in large bioassays with many species of fish.

A bioaccumulation bioassay for freshwater sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mac, Michael J.; Noguchi, George E.; Hesselberg, Robert J.; Edsall, Carol C.; Shoesmith, John A.; Bowker, James D.

1990-01-01

A laboratory bioassay is described for determining the bioavailability of contaminants from freshwater sediments. The bioassay consists of 10-d exposures to whole sediments under flow-through conditions. After testing five species, the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and the earthworm (Lubricus terrestris) were recommended for use in the test. When the availability of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Hg and Zn from Great Lakes sediments was examined in laboratory exposures, only the PCBs were accumulated. A field validation study demonstrated that the magnitude of accumulation in laboratory exposures was similar to that in organisms caged in the field. A protocol is recommended for using the test as a standardized bioaccumulation bioassay.

From single chemicals to mixtures--reproductive effects of levonorgestrel and ethinylestradiol on the fathead minnow.

PubMed

Runnalls, Tamsin J; Beresford, Nicola; Kugathas, Subramaniam; Margiotta-Casaluci, Luigi; Scholze, Martin; Scott, Alexander P; Sumpter, John P

2015-12-01

The aquatic environment is polluted with thousands of chemicals. It is currently unclear which of these pose a significant threat to aquatic biota. The typical exposure scenario is now represented by a widespread blanket of contamination composed of myriads of individual pollutants-each typically present at a low concentration. The synthetic steroids, 17α-ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel, have been widely reported to be present in the aquatic environment in the low ng to sub-ng/l range. They are widely used in contraceptive formulations, both individually and in combination. Our research employed the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) 21 day 'pair-breeding' assay to assess reproductive output when pairs of fish were exposed to the single chemicals at low environmentally relevant concentrations, and then to a binary mixture of them. A variety of endpoints were assessed, including egg production, which was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by both the individual chemicals and the mixture. Significant, sex specific effects were also seen with both chemicals, at differing levels of biological organisation. Plasma concentrations of EE2 and levonorgestrel were predicted and in the case of levonorgestrel measured, and compared with the human therapeutic plasma concentrations (Read-Across approach) to support the interpretation of the results. A novel quantitative method was developed for the data analysis, which ensured a suitable endpoint for the comparative mixture assessment. This approach compares the reproductive performance from individual pairs of fish during chemical exposure to its pre-treatment performance. The responses from the empirical mixture study were compared to predictions derived from the single substance data. We hypothesised combined responses which were best described by the concept of concentration addition, and found no clear indications against this additivity expectation. However, the effect profiles support the current knowledge that both compounds act in different ways to reduce egg production in fish, and suggest that probably response addition (also called Independent action) is the more appropriate mixture model in this case. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Progesterone increases ex vivo testosterone production and decreases the expression of progestin receptors and steroidogenic enzymes in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) ovary.

PubMed

Chishti, Yasmin Z; Feswick, April; Martyniuk, Christopher J

2014-04-01

Progesterone (P4) is a metabolic precursor for a number of steroids, including estrogens and androgens. P4 also has diverse roles within the vertebrate ovary that include oocyte growth and development. The objectives of this study were to measure the effects of P4 on testosterone (T) and 17β-estradiol (E2) production in the fathead minnow (FHM) ovary and on the mRNA abundance of transcripts involved in steroidogenesis and steroid receptor signaling. Ovary explants were treated with P4 (10(-6)M) for 6 and 12h. P4 administration significantly increased T production ∼3-fold at both 6 and 12h, whereas E2 production was not affected, consistent with the hypothesis that excess P4 is not converted to terminal estrogens in the mature ovary. Nuclear progesterone receptor mRNA was decreased at 6h and membrane progesterone receptor gamma-2 mRNA was significantly down-regulated at both 6 and 12h; however there was no change in membrane progesterone receptor alpha or beta mRNA levels. Androgen receptor (ar) and estrogen receptor 2a (esr2a) mRNA were significantly reduced at 6h with P4 treatment, but there was no change in esr2b mRNA at either time point. Transcripts for enzymes in the steroid pathway (star, hsd11b2) were significantly lower at 6h compared to controls, whereas cyp17a and cyp19a mRNA abundance did not change with treatments at either time point. These data suggest that P4 incubation can lead to increased T production in the FHM ovary without a concomitant change in E2, and that the membrane bound progestin receptors are differentially regulated by P4 in the teleost ovary. As environmental progestins have received increased attention due to their suspected role as endocrine disruptors, mechanistic data on the role of exogenous P4 treatments in the male and female gonad is warranted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An expert system for prediction of chemical toxicity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hickey, James P.; Aldridge, Andrew J.; Passino-Reader, Dora R.; Frank, Anthony M.

1992-01-01

The National Fisheries Research Center- Great Lakes has developed an interactive computer program that uses the structure of an organic molecule to predict its acute toxicity to four aquatic species. The expert system software, written in the muLISP language, identifies the skeletal structures and substituent groups of an organic molecule from a user-supplied standard chemical notation known as a SMILES string, and then generates values for four solvatochromic parameters. Multiple regression equations relate these parameters to the toxicities (expressed as log10LC50s and log10EC50s, along with 95% confidence intervals) for four species. The system is demonstrated by prediction of toxicity for anilide-type pesticides to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). This software is designed for use on an IBM-compatible personal computer by personnel with minimal toxicology background for rapid estimation of chemical toxicity. The system has numerous applications, with much potential for use in the pharmaceutical industry

An ecotoxicological characterization of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC).

PubMed

Kovacs, Tibor; Naish, Valerie; O'Connor, Brian; Blaise, Christian; Gagné, Francois; Hall, Lauren; Trudeau, Vance; Martel, Pierre

2010-09-01

The pulp and paper industry in Canada is developing technology for the production and use of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC). A key component of the developmental work is an assessment of potential environmental risks. Towards this goal, NCC samples as well as carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC), a surrogate of the parent cellulosic material, were subjected to an ecotoxicological evaluation. This involved toxicity tests with rainbow trout hepatocytes and nine aquatic species. The hepatocytes were most sensitive (EC20s between 10 and 200 mg/l) to NCC, although neither NCC nor CMC caused genotoxicity. In tests with the nine species, NCC affected the reproduction of the fathead minnow at (IC25) 0.29 g/l, but no other effects on endpoints such as survival and growth occurred in the other species at concentrations below 1 g/l, which was comparable to CMC. Based on this ecotoxicological characterization, NCC was found to have low toxicity potential and environmental risk.

The development of a site-specific water-quality standard for copper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sinclair, R.M.

This dissertation proposes to determine, for one toxic chemical, copper, if the Federal water quality standard and the state interpretation of that standard are appropriate for the Duck River, some 50 miles south of Nashville, Tennessee. This involved conducting toxicity tests in Duck River water, and the use of the computer metal speciation program MINTEQA1 to predict instream impact. The speciation model chosen for the determination of chemical equilibria in this study was MINTEQA1. To test the validity of the MINTEQA1 speciation model, water chemistry from the Duck River was entered into the model. At the typical site pH ofmore » 7.8, 55.7% of the copper is bound as Cu(OH){sub 2}, 29.8% is bound as copper humate, and 12.7% is found as CuCO{sub 3}. Of extreme importance to the toxicity of copper in the site water is the complete absence of the most toxic species, ionic copper. The test species were the brook silversides minnow (Labidesthes sicculus), mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), caddisfly larvae (Cheumatopsyche sp.), fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), geniculate river snail (Lithasia geniculata), sunfish (Lepomis sp.), and the amphipod (Hyalella azeca). The test concentrations were confirmed by atomic absorption spectroscopy on selected concentrations. The caddisfly larvae was the single most tolerant species observed during this study, while the amphipod and snail were the two most sensitive species tested.« less

Toxicity of dissolved ozone to fish eggs and larvae

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Asbury, C.; Coler, R.

1980-07-01

To find levels of dissolved residual ozone lethal to fish eggs and larvae during brief exposures, continuous-flow toxicity tests were performed with eggs and larvae of yellow perch (Perca flavescens), and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), eggs of white sucker (Catastomus commersoni), and larvae of bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). The 50 and 99% lethal concentrations with confidence limits were calculated. Eggs of the species tested were more tolerant than larvae, which were destroyed by very brief exposures (less than 2 minutes) to residuals less than 0.1 mg/1. Because of the sensitivity of the larvae, residual ozone concentrations in natural waters shouldmore » remain well below 50 ..mu..g/1.« less

Development of chronic tests for endocrine active chemicals. Part 1. An extended fish early-life stage test for oestrogenic active chemicals in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Panter, G H; Hutchinson, T H; Hurd, K S; Bamforth, J; Stanley, R D; Duffell, S; Hargreaves, A; Gimeno, S; Tyler, C R

2006-05-10

An extended early-life stage test (based on OECD test guideline 210) was developed to allow the evaluation of a weak environmental oestrogen, 4-tert-pentyphenol (4TPP), on sexual differentiation and gonadal development. Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryos were exposed to three concentrations of 4TPP (56, 180 and 560 microg l(-1)) in a flow-through system, at 25+/-1 degrees C, for <107 days post-hatch (dph). In addition, some embryos were exposed to 180 microg 4TPPl(-1) until 30 or 60 dph, after which they were exposed to dilution water only until 107 dph. At 30, 60 and 107 dph fish were evaluated for growth and gonadal development (via histology), and at 107 dph fish were also evaluated for secondary sexual characteristics (SSC), gonadosomatic index (GSI) and plasma vitellogenin (VTG). There were no effects of 4TPP on hatching success or survival, however, there was a delay in the time taken for embryos to hatch (560 microg 4TPPl(-1)). No treatment-related effects were observed on fish growth, with the exception of at 107 dph when the condition factor in female fish was reduced in all 4TPP continuous exposure treatments. Plasma VTG was only elevated in female fish exposed to 180 microg 4TPPl(-1) and inhibition of gonadal growth (GSI) occurred only in females exposed to 560 microg 4TPPl(-1). Histological examination of the gonads revealed delays and disruption in male sexual differentiation and development (180 microg 4TPPl(-1)) and no testicular tissue was observed in any fish exposed to 560 microg 4TPPl(-1). Mixed gonads (predominately testes with a scattering of primary oocytes) were present in fish exposed to all doses of 180 microg 4TPPl(-1) at 107 dph. Feminisation of the reproductive ducts (formation of an ovarian like cavity) occurred in the testis of all males exposed to 180 microg l(-1), regardless of length of 4TPP exposure. Results indicate that the period of 30-60 dph appears to be the sensitive window for disruption of formation of the reproductive duct and this effect is not reversible when the fish are transferred to dilution water. The data also show that this integrative test is suitable for the detection of a weak environmental oestrogen and comparisons of these results with that of a fish full life-cycle, in medaka, indicate that this test could be a suitable surrogate for a fish full life-cycle.

Rapid method for the measurement of circulating thyroid hormones in low volumes of teleost fish plasma by LC-ESI/MS/MS

PubMed Central

Noyes, Pamela D.; Lema, Sean C.; Roberts, Simon C.; Cooper, Ellen M.

2014-01-01

Thyroid hormones are critical regulators of normal development and physiological functioning in all vertebrates. Radioimmunoassay (RIA) approaches have been the method of choice for measuring circulating levels of thyroid hormones in vertebrates. While sensitive, RIA-based approaches only allow for a single analyte measurement per assay, can lack concordance across platforms and laboratories, and can be prone to analytical interferences especially when used with fish plasma. Ongoing advances in liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) have led to substantial decreases in detection limits for thyroid hormones and other biomolecules in complex matrices, including human plasma. Despite these advances, current analytical approaches do not allow for the measurement of native thyroid hormone in teleost fish plasma by mass spectrometry and continue to rely on immunoassay. In this study, we developed a new method that allows for the rapid extraction and simultaneous measurement of total T4 (TT4) and total T3 (TT3) in low volumes (50 μL) of fish plasma by LC/MS/MS. Methods were optimized initially in plasma from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and applied to plasma from other teleost fishes, including fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus), sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Validation of method performance with T4- and T3-spiked rainbow trout plasma at 2 and 4 ng/mL produced mean recoveries ranging from 82 to 95 % and 97 to 105 %, respectively. Recovery of 13C12-T4 internal standard in plasma extractions was: 99±1.8 % in rainbow trout, 85±11 % in fathead minnow, 73±5.0 % in mummichog, 73±1.7 % in sockeye salmon, and 80±8.4 % in coho salmon. While absolute levels of thyroid hormones measured in identical plasma samples by LC/MS/MS and RIA varied depending on the assay used, T4/T3 ratios were generally consistent across both techniques. Less variability was measured among samples subjected to LC/MS/MS suggesting a more precise estimate of thyroid hormone homeostasis in the species targeted. Overall, a sensitive and reproducible method was established that takes advantage of LC/MS/MS techniques to rapidly measure TT4 and TT3 with negligible interferences in low volumes of plasma across a variety of teleost fishes. PMID:24343452

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) limit food for larval fish (Pimephales promelas) in turbulent systems: A bioenergetics analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartsch, L.A.; Richardson, W.B.; Sandheinrich, M.B.

2003-01-01

We conducted a factorial experiment, in outdoor mesocosms, on the effects of zebra mussels and water column mixing (i.e., turbulence) on the diet, growth, and survival of larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Significant (P < 0.05) larval mortality occurred by the end of the experiment with the highest mortality (90%) occurring in the presence of both turbulence and zebra mussels, whereas mortality was 37% in treatment with turbulence and 17% and 18% in the zebra mussels treatment, and the control, respectively. The size of individual fish was significantly different among treatments at the end of the experiment and was inversely related to survival. Levels of trophic resources (i.e., phyto and zooplankton) varied among treatments and were treatment specific. Turbulent mixing facilitated removal of phytoplankton by zebra mussels by making the entire water column of the tanks available to these benthic filter feeders. Early in the experiment (Day = 0 to 14) the physical process of turbulent mixing likely caused a reduction in standing stocks of zooplankton. The interactive effect of turbulence and mussels reduced copepod and rotifer stocks, through physical processes and through filtration by zebra mussels, relative to the turbulence treatment. The reductions in the number of total zooplankton in the turbulent mixing mesocosms and the further reduction of rotifer and copepod in the turbulence and mussels treatment coincided with a period of increased reliance of larval fathead minnows on these prey. Estimates of consumption from bioenergetics modeling and measured prey standing stocks indicated caloric resources of suitable prey in turbulence treatments during the early weeks of the experiment were insufficient to prevent starvation. Early mortality in the turbulence and mussels treatment likely released surviving fish from intense intraspecific competition and resulted in higher individual growth rates. A combination of high abundance of zebra mussels in an environment with a well-mixed water column can have significant effects on larval fish survival and growth.

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) limit food for larval fish (Pimephales promelas) in turbulent systems: a bioenergetics analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartsch, L.A.; Richardson, W.B.; Sandheinrich, M.B.

2003-01-01

We conducted a factorial experiment, in outdoor mesocosms, on the effects of zebra mussels and water column mixing (i.e., turbulence) on the diet, growth, and survival of larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Significant (P < 0.05) larval mortality occurred by the end of the experiment with the highest mortality (90%) occurring in the presence of both turbulence and zebra mussels, whereas mortality was 37% in treatment with turbulence and 17% and 18% in the zebra mussels treatment, and the control, respectively. The size of individual fish was significantly different among treatments at the end of the experiment and was inversely related to survival. Levels of trophic resources (i.e., phyto and zooplankton) varied among treatments and were treatment specific. Turbulent mixing facilitated removal of phytoplankton by zebra mussels by making the entire water column of the tanks available to these benthic filter feeders. Early in the experiment (Day = 0 to 14) the physical process of turbulent mixing likely caused a reduction in standing stocks of zooplankton. The interactive effect of turbulence and mussels reduced copepod and rotifer stocks, through physical processes and through filtration by zebra mussels, relative to the turbulence treatment. The reductions in the number of total zooplankton in the turbulent mixing mesocosms and the further reduction of rotifer and copepod in the turbulence and mussels treatment coincided with a period of increased reliance of larval fathead minnows on these prey. Estimates of consumption from bioenergetics modeling and measured prey standing stocks indicated caloric resources of suitable prey in turbulence treatments during the early weeks of the experiment were insufficient to prevent starvation. Early mortality in the turbulence and mussels treatment likely released surviving fish from intense intraspecific competition and resulted in higher individual growth rates. A combination of high abundance of zebra mussels in an environment with a well-mixed water column can have significant effects on larval fish survival and growth.

Frequency and Severity of Trauma in Fishes Subjected to Multiple-pass Depletion Electrofishing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Panek, Frank; Densmore, Christine L.

2013-01-01

The incidence and severity of trauma associated with multiple-pass electrofishing and the effects on short-term (30-d) survival and growth of Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis, and five representative co-inhabiting nontarget or bycatch species were examined. Fish were held in four rectangular fiberglass tanks (190 × 66 cm) equipped with electrodes, a gravel–cobble stream substrate, and continuous water flow. Fish were exposed to one, two, or three electroshocks (100-V, 60-Hz pulsed DC) spaced 1 h apart or were held as a control. The heterogeneous field produced a mean (±SD) voltage gradient of 0.23 ± 0.024 V/cm (range = 0.20–0.30 V/cm) with a duty cycle of 30% and a 5-s exposure. Radiographs of 355 fish were examined for evidence of spinal injuries, and necropsies were performed on 303 fish to assess hemorrhagic trauma in soft tissue. Using linear regression, we demonstrated significant relationships between the number of electrical shocks and the frequency and severity of hemorrhagic and spinal trauma in each of the nontarget species (Potomac Sculpin Cottus girardi, Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus, Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas, Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus, and Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides). Most of the injuries in these species were either minor or moderate. Rainbow Trout and Brook Trout generally sustained the highest incidence and severity of injuries, but those injuries were generally independent of the number of treatments. The 30-d postshock survival for the trout species was greater than 94%; survival for the bycatch species ranged from 80% (Fathead Minnow) to 100% (Green Sunfish and Channel Catfish). There were no significant differences in 30-d postshock condition factors despite observations of altered feeding behavior lasting several days to 1 week posttreatment in several of the study species.

Experimental Infection of Koi Carp with viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus type IVb.

PubMed

Cornwell, Emily R; Labuda, Sandra L; Groocock, Geoffrey H; Getchell, Rodman G; Bowser, Paul R

2013-03-01

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) type IVb has a wide host range that includes at least three cyprinid species: Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas, Emerald Shiner Notropis atherinoides, and Bluntnose Minnow P. notatus. To date, VHSV IVb has only been found in wild fish. However, the possibility of infection in culture facilities remains. Koi Carp Cyprinus carpio are a major ornamental aquaculture species in the United States; however, their potential to become infected with VHSV IVb has not yet been examined. In this study, we exposed Koi to 3 × 10(6) PFU VHSV Great Lakes isolate MI03 by intraperitoneal injection. While we observed low mortality (0-5%), VHSV was isolated in cell culture from the majority of fish up to 28 d postexposure (DPE) and was detected by a quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay up to 90 DPE, when the trial was terminated. The results of this study strongly suggest that Koi are at risk for VHSV infection, although their susceptibility by intraperitoneal injection appears to be low. This study also provides more evidence of the sensitivity of qRT-PCR for detection of VHSV IVb.

Impaired swim bladder inflation in early-life stage fathead ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The thyroid axis plays a critical role in teleost fish development. The present study investigated whether inhibition of deiodinase, the enzyme which converts thyroxine (T4), to the more biologically-active form, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), would impact inflation of the posterior and/or anterior swim bladder (SB), processes which we previously demonstrated to be thyroid-hormone regulated. Two experiments were conducted using iopanoic acid (IOP), a pharmaceutical used to treat hyperthyroidism, as a model deiodinase inhibitor. In the first study, fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryos (~1 day post-fertilization [dpf]) were exposed in a flow-through system to three concentrations of IOP (0.6, 1.9, 6.0 mg/L) or control water and sampled at 4 and 6 dpf. Whole body T4 and T3 concentrations were measured using LC-MS/MS. Abundance of deiodinase 1-3 (dio1-3), thyroid-stimulating hormone (tsh), and thyroperoxidase (tpo) transcripts was examined using quantitative polymerase-chain reaction. Posterior SB inflation was assessed at 6 dpf. To examine effects on anterior SB inflation, a second study was conducted in which 6 dpf larvae, whose posterior SB had already inflated, were exposed to the same IOP concentrations. Fish were sampled at 10, 14, 18, and 21 dpf for T4/T3 measurements, gene transcription analyses, and thyroid histopathology. In the embryo study, incidence and length of inflated posterior SBs were significantly reduced in the 6.0 mg/L treatment at 6 dp

Clinch River - Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) study, ambient water toxicity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Russell, C.L.

1997-06-01

Clinch River - Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) personnel and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) personnel conducted a study during the week of July 22-29, 1993, as described in the Statement of Work (SOW) document. The organisms specified for testing were larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Surface water samples were collected by TVA Field Engineering personnel from Clinch River Mile 19.0 and Mile 22.0 on July 21, 23, and 26. Samples were split and provided to the CR-ERP and TVA toxicology laboratories for testing. Exposure of test organisms to these samples resulted in no toxicity (survival, growth,more » or reproduction) to either species in testing conducted by TVA.« less

γ-Amino-butyric acid (GABA) receptor subunit and transporter expression in the gonad and liver of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

PubMed

Biggs, Katie; Seidel, Jason S; Wilson, Alex; Martyniuk, Christopher J

2013-09-01

γ-Amino-butyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate central nervous system. GABA receptors and synthesizing enzymes have also been localized to peripheral tissues including the liver, oviduct, uterus and ovary of mammals but the distribution and role of GABA in peripheral tissues of fish has not been fully investigated. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine if mRNA encoding GABA synthesizing enzymes (glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 and 67; gad65 and gad67), GABA transporters, and GABAA receptor subunits are localized to liver and gonad of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) (FHM) (2) investigate the effects of GABA on ovarian 17β-estradiol (E2) production, and (3) measure transcript responses in the ovary after in vitro incubation to GABA. Real-time PCR assays were developed for gad65, gad67, vesicular GABA transporter (vgat) and GABA transporter 1 (gat1), and select GABAA receptor subunits (gabra1, gabra5, gabrb1, gabrb2, gabrg1, gabrg2). All transcripts were localized to the brain as expected; however transcripts were also detected in the liver, ovary, and testis of FHMs. In the female liver, gad65 mRNA was significantly higher in expression compared to the male liver. Transcripts for gad67 were the highest in the brain>gonad>liver and in the gonads, gad67 was significantly higher in expression than gad65 mRNA. In the liver and gonad, the relative abundance of the subunits followed a general trend of gabrb1>gabrb2=gabrg1=gabrg2>gabra1=gabra5. To explore the effects of GABA in the ovary, tissue explants from reproductive female FHMs were treated with GABA (10(-10), 10(-8) and 10(-6)M) for 12h. GABA had no significant effect on 17β-estradiol production or on mRNA abundance for genes involved in ovarian steroidogenesis (e.g., 11βhsd, cyp17, cyp19a). There was a significant decrease in estrogen receptor 2a (esr2a) mRNA with 10(-10)M GABA. This study begins to investigate the GABA system in non-neural tissues of teleost fish and addresses the broader topic regarding the peripheral roles of neurotransmitters. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toxicokinetic, toxicodynamic, and toxicoproteomic aspects of short-term exposure to trenbolone in female fish.

PubMed

Schultz, Irvin R; Nagler, James J; Swanson, Penny; Wunschel, Dave; Skillman, Ann D; Burnett, Vicki; Smith, Derek; Barry, Richard

2013-12-01

The toxicokinetics of trenbolone was characterized during 500 ng/l water exposures in female rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Related experiments measured various toxicodynamic effects of exposure. In both species, trenbolone was rapidly absorbed from the water and reached peak plasma levels within 8h of exposure. Afterwards, trenbolone concentrations in trout (66-95 ng/ml) were 2-6 times higher compared with minnows (15-29 ng/ml), which was attributable to greater plasma binding in trout. During water exposures, circulating levels of estradiol (E2) rapidly decreased in both species to a concentration that was 25%-40% of control values by 8-24h of exposure and then remained relatively unchanged for the subsequent 6 days of exposure. In trout, changes in circulating levels of follicle-stimulating hormone were also significantly greater after trenbolone exposure, relative to controls. In both species, the pharmacokinetics of injected E2-d3 was altered by trenbolone exposure with an increase in total body clearance and a corresponding decrease in elimination half-life. The unbound percentage of E2 in trout plasma was 0.25%, which was similar in pre- or postvitellogenic female trout. Subsequent incubation with trenbolone caused the unbound percentage to significantly increase to 2.4% in the previtellogenic trout plasma. iTRAQ-based toxicoproteomic studies in minnows exposed to 5, 50, and 500 ng/l trenbolone identified a total of 148 proteins with 19 downregulated including vitellogenin and 18 upregulated. Other downregulated proteins were fibrinogens, α-2-macroglobulin, and transferrin. Upregulated proteins included amine oxidase, apolipoproteins, parvalbumin, complement system proteins, and several uncharacterized proteins. The results indicate trenbolone exposure is a highly dynamic process in female fish with uptake and tissue equilibrium quickly established, leading to both rapid and delayed toxicodynamic effects.

Impaired swim bladder inflation in early-life stage fathead ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The present study investigated whether inhibition of deiodinase, the enzyme which converts thyroxine (T4) to the more biologically-active form, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), would impact inflation of the posterior and/or anterior chamber of the swim bladder, processes previously demonstrated to be thyroid-hormone regulated. Two experiments were conducted using a model deiodinase inhibitor, iopanoic acid (IOP). In the first study, fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryos were exposed to 0.6, 1.9, or 6.0 mg IOP/L or control water in a flow-through system until reaching 6 days post-fertilization (dpf) at which time posterior swim bladder inflation was assessed. To examine effects on anterior swim bladder inflation, a second study was conducted with 6 dpf larvae exposed to the same IOP concentrations until reaching 21 dpf. Fish from both studies were sampled for T4/T3 measurements, gene transcription analyses, and thyroid histopathology. In the embryo study, incidence and length of inflated posterior swim bladders were significantly reduced in the 6.0 mg/L treatment at 6 dpf. Incidence of inflation and length of anterior swim bladder in larval fish were significantly reduced in all IOP treatments at 14 dpf, but inflation recovered by 18 dpf. Throughout the larval study, whole body T4 concentrations were significantly increased and T3 concentrations were significantly decreased in all IOP treatments. Consistent with hypothesized compensatory responses, sig

Aquatic toxicity information retrieval data base: A technical support document. (Revised July 1992)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The AQUIRE (AQUatic toxicity Information REtrieval) database was established in 1981 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Environmental Research Laboratory-Duluth (ERL-D). The purpose of AQUIRE is to provide quick access to a comprehensive, systematic, computerized compilation of aquatic toxic effects data. As of July 1992, AQUIRE consists of over 98,300 individual test results on computer file. These tests contain information for 5,500 chemicals and 2,300 organisms, extracted from over 6,300 publications. In addition, the ERL-D data file, prepared by the University of Wisconsin-Superior is now included in AQUIRE. The data file consists of acute toxicity test resultsmore » for the effects of 525 organic chemicals to fathead minnow. All AQUIRE data entries have been subjected to established quality assurance procedures.« less

Clinch River - Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) pilot study, ambient water toxicity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simbeck, D.J.

1997-06-01

Clinch River - Environmental Restoration Program (CR-ERP) personnel and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) personnel conducted a pilot study during the week of April 22-29, 1993, prior to initiation of CR-ERP Phase II Sampling and Analysis activities as described in the Statement of Work (SOW) document. The organisms specified for testing were larval fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and the daphnid, Ceriodaphnia dubia. Surface water samples were collected by TVA Field Engineering personnel from Clinch River Mile 9.0 and Poplar Creek Kilometer 1.6 on April 21, 23, and 26. Samples were split and provided to the CR-ERP and TVA toxicology laboratories formore » testing. Exposure of test organisms to these samples resulted in no toxicity (survival, growth, or reproduction) to either species in testing conducted by TVA.« less

Development of an ecotoxicity QSAR model for the KAshinhou Tool for Ecotoxicity (KATE) system, March 2009 version.

PubMed

Furuhama, A; Toida, T; Nishikawa, N; Aoki, Y; Yoshioka, Y; Shiraishi, H

2010-07-01

The KAshinhou Tool for Ecotoxicity (KATE) system, including ecotoxicity quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models, was developed by the Japanese National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) using the database of aquatic toxicity results gathered by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment and the US EPA fathead minnow database. In this system chemicals can be entered according to their one-dimensional structures and classified by substructure. The QSAR equations for predicting the toxicity of a chemical compound assume a linear correlation between its log P value and its aquatic toxicity. KATE uses a structural domain called C-judgement, defined by the substructures of specified functional groups in the QSAR models. Internal validation by the leave-one-out method confirms that the QSAR equations, with r(2 )> 0.7, RMSE 5, give acceptable q(2) values. Such external validation indicates that a group of chemicals with an in-domain of KATE C-judgements exhibits a lower root mean square error (RMSE). These findings demonstrate that the KATE system has the potential to enable chemicals to be categorised as potential hazards.

Quantitative Adverse Outcome Pathways and Their ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A quantitative adverse outcome pathway (qAOP) consists of one or more biologically based, computational models describing key event relationships linking a molecular initiating event (MIE) to an adverse outcome. A qAOP provides quantitative, dose–response, and time-course predictions that can support regulatory decision-making. Herein we describe several facets of qAOPs, including (a) motivation for development, (b) technical considerations, (c) evaluation of confidence, and (d) potential applications. The qAOP used as an illustrative example for these points describes the linkage between inhibition of cytochrome P450 19A aromatase (the MIE) and population-level decreases in the fathead minnow (FHM; Pimephales promelas). The qAOP consists of three linked computational models for the following: (a) the hypothalamic-pitutitary-gonadal axis in female FHMs, where aromatase inhibition decreases the conversion of testosterone to 17β-estradiol (E2), thereby reducing E2-dependent vitellogenin (VTG; egg yolk protein precursor) synthesis, (b) VTG-dependent egg development and spawning (fecundity), and (c) fecundity-dependent population trajectory. While development of the example qAOP was based on experiments with FHMs exposed to the aromatase inhibitor fadrozole, we also show how a toxic equivalence (TEQ) calculation allows use of the qAOP to predict effects of another, untested aromatase inhibitor, iprodione. While qAOP development can be resource-intensive, the quan

Temperature preference as an indicator of the chronic toxicity of cupric ions to Mozambique Tilapia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Welch, T.J.; Stauffer, J.R. Jr.; Morgan, R.P. II

1989-11-01

Evaluation of the effects of environmental contaminants on aquatic communities has focused primarily on acute bioassays. These bioassays provide rapid and reproducible concentration response curves based on death as an endpoint. In recent years, however, emphasis has shifted towards monitoring sublethal effects of toxicants. Temperature is an easily quantifiable parameter influencing both the behavior and survival of fishes. As poikilotherms, fish use behavioral responses to help regulate body temperature. Fish thermoregulatory behavior may be altered by various toxic substances. Some researchers found that a 24 hr exposure of sublethal concentrations of copper caused a significant decrease in preferred temperature ofmore » fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), although the results were confounded due to variations in copper concentrations. In this study, the authors examined the feasibility of using acute temperature preference tests to assess the chronic toxicity of low concentrations of free cupric ions to Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters).« less

Aquatic Toxicity Information Retrieval Data Base (ACQUIRE). Data file

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The purpose of Acquire is to provide scientists and managers quick access to a comprehensive, systematic, computerized compilation of aquatic toxicity data. Scientific papers published both nationally and internationally on the toxicity of chemicals to aquatic organisms and plants are collected and reviewed for ACQUIRE. Independently compiled data files that meet ACQUIRE parameter and quality assurance criteria are also included. Selected toxicity test results and related testing information for any individual chemical from laboratory and field aquatic toxicity effects are included for tests with freshwater and marine organisms. The total number of data records in ACQUIRE is now over 105,300.more » This includes data from 6000 references, for 5200 chemicals and 2400 test species. A major data file, Acute Toxicity of Organic Chemicals (ATOC), has been incorporated into ACQUIRE. The ATOC file contains laboratory acute test data on 525 organic chemicals using juvenile fathead minnows.« less

Development and application of a density dependent matrix ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Ranging along the Atlantic coast from US Florida to the Maritime Provinces of Canada, the Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) is an important and well-studied model organism for understanding the effects of pollutants and other stressors in estuarine and marine ecosystems. Matrix population models are useful tools for ecological risk assessment because they integrate effects across the life cycle, provide a linkage between endpoints observed in the individual and ecological risk to the population as a whole, and project outcomes for many generations in the future. We developed a density dependent matrix population model for Atlantic killifish by modifying a model developed for fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) that has proved to be extremely useful, e.g. to incorporate data from laboratory studies and project effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals. We developed a size-structured model (as opposed to one that is based upon developmental stages or age class structure) so that we could readily incorporate output from a Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model, currently under development. Due to a lack of sufficient data to accurately define killifish responses to density dependence, we tested a number of scenarios realistic for other fish species in order to demonstrate the outcome of including this ecologically important factor. We applied the model using published data for killifish exposed to dioxin-like compounds, and compared our results to those using

Generation of GHS Scores from TEST and online sources ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Alternatives assessment frameworks such as DfE (Design for the Environment) evaluate chemical alternatives in terms of human health effects, ecotoxicity, and fate. T.E.S.T. (Toxicity Estimation Software Tool) can be utilized to evaluate human health in terms of acute oral rat toxicity, developmental toxicity, endocrine activity, and mutagenicity. It can be used to evaluate ecotoxicity (in terms of acute fathead minnow toxicity) and fate (in terms of bioconcentration factor). It also be used to estimate a variety of key physicochemical properties such as melting point, boiling point, vapor pressure, water solubility, and bioconcentration factor. A web-based version of T.E.S.T. is currently being developed to allow predictions to be made from other web tools. Online data sources such as from NCCT’s Chemistry Dashboard, REACH dossiers, or from ChemHat.org can also be utilized to obtain GHS (Global Harmonization System) scores for comparing alternatives. The purpose of this talk is to show how GHS (Global Harmonization Score) data can be obtained from literature sources and from T.E.S.T. (Toxicity Estimation Software Tool). This data will be used to compare chemical alternatives in the alternatives assessment dashboard (a 2018 CSS product).

Cross-Species Extrapolation of Uptake and Disposition of Neutral Organic Chemicals in Fish Using a Multispecies Physiologically-Based Toxicokinetic Model Framework.

PubMed

Brinkmann, Markus; Schlechtriem, Christian; Reininghaus, Mathias; Eichbaum, Kathrin; Buchinger, Sebastian; Reifferscheid, Georg; Hollert, Henner; Preuss, Thomas G

2016-02-16

The potential to bioconcentrate is generally considered to be an unwanted property of a substance. Consequently, chemical legislation, including the European REACH regulations, requires the chemical industry to provide bioconcentration data for chemicals that are produced or imported at volumes exceeding 100 tons per annum or if there is a concern that a substance is persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. For the filling of the existing data gap for chemicals produced or imported at levels that are below this stipulated volume, without the need for additional animal experiments, physiologically-based toxicokinetic (PBTK) models can be used to predict whole-body and tissue concentrations of neutral organic chemicals in fish. PBTK models have been developed for many different fish species with promising results. In this study, we developed PBTK models for zebrafish (Danio rerio) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) and combined them with existing models for rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss), lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). The resulting multispecies model framework allows for cross-species extrapolation of the bioaccumulative potential of neutral organic compounds. Predictions were compared with experimental data and were accurate for most substances. Our model can be used for probabilistic risk assessment of chemical bioaccumulation, with particular emphasis on cross-species evaluations.