SpringerLink
Log in

Sublethal Concentrations of Cadmium and Lead: Effects on Hemato-Biochemical Parameters and Tissue Accumulation in Wallagu attu

  • Research
  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The exposure of fish to heavy metals can significantly impact physiological processes and potentially lead to adverse health effects. This study assesses the effects of exposure to Cd and Pb sublethal concentrations in water on Wallagu attu. A total of 48 fish with an average body weight of 145.5 ± 26 g were distributed among three groups (control, Cd-treated, and Pb-treated) within 60 L fiberglass tanks. They were exposed to 30% sublethal concentrations of Cd and Pb for durations of 1, 15, and 30 days. Following this exposure, an assessment was conducted on metal bioaccumulation and hemato-biochemical responses. Results revealed a significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentration of heavy metals in the fish tissues of metals exposed groups than in the control. The concentration of Cd and Pb increases in fish tissues (kidney > gills > intestine) with exposure time. In most cases, the Pb-exposed group exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentrations of Pb in different tissues than the Cd-treated group. With extended exposure time, the activities of CAT and SOD show a significant decrease in both Cd and Pb-treated groups. However, the reduction in activities was more pronounced in the Cd-exposed group. On 15 and 30 days, the levels of red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (HB), hematocrit (HCT), and total protein (TP) decrease in groups exposed to Cd and Pb. The cortisol and glucose levels exhibit a more noticeable (P < 0.05) increase with prolonged exposure to Cd and Pb than the control group. On day 30, the survival rate decreased more in the Pb-exposed group. The findings of this study indicate that exposure to sublethal doses of Cd and Pb induces stress in Wallagu attu, resulting in rapid changes in specific hemato-biochemical parameters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Thailand)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

The datasets produced throughout the current study can be obtained from the corresponding author upon a reasonable request.

References

  1. Abd Elnabi MK, Elkaliny NE, Elyazied MM, Azab SH, Elkhalifa SA, Elmasry S, Mouhamed MS, Shalamesh EM, Alhorieny NA, Elaty A, A.E. and, Elgendy IM (2023) Toxicity of heavy metals and recent advances in their removal: A review. Toxics 11(7):580

  2. Mushtaq N, Singh DV, Bhat RA, Dervash MA, Hameed OB (2020) Freshwater contamination: sources and hazards to aquatic biota. Fresh water pollution dynamics and remediation, pp.27–50

  3. Tasleem S, Masud S, Habib SS, Naz S, Fazio F, Aslam M, Ullah M, Attaullah S (2023) Investigation of the incidence of heavy metals contamination in commonly used fertilizers applied to vegetables, fish ponds, and human health risk assessments. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30(45):100646–100659

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Jaishankar M, Tseten T, Anbalagan N, Mathew BB, Beeregowda KN (2014) Toxicity, mechanism and health effects of some heavy metals. Interdisciplinary Toxicol 7(2):60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Triantafyllidou S, Edwards M (2012) Lead (pb) in tap water and in blood: implications for lead exposure in the United States. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 42(13):1297–1352

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Flora SJ, Flora G, Saxena G (2006) Environmental occurrence, health effects and management of lead poisoning. Lead. Elsevier Science BV, pp 158–228

  7. Nakhaee S, Amirabadizadeh A, Brent J, Mehrpour O (2019) Impact of chronic lead exposure on liver and kidney function and haematologic parameters. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 124(5):621–628

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. El-Boshy MES, Gadalla HA, El-Hamied FMA (2014) Immunological, hematological and biochemical changes induced by short term exposure to cadmium in catfish (Clarias gariepinus). J Coast Life Med 2(3):175–180

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kim JH, Kang JC (2015) The lead accumulation and hematological findings in juvenile rock fish Sebastes schlegelii exposed to the dietary lead (II) concentrations. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 115:33–39

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Fazio F, Habib SS, Naz S, Hashmi MAH, Saoca C, Ullah M (2022) Cadmium sub-lethal concentration effect on growth, haematological and biochemical parameters of Mystus seenghala (Sykes, 1839). Biol Trace Elem Res 200(5):2432–2438

  11. Sabullah MK, Ahmad SA, Shukor MY, Gansau AJ, Syed MA, Sulaiman MR, Shamaan NA (2015) Heavy metal biomarker: Fish behavior, cellular alteration, enzymatic reaction and proteomics approaches. Int Food Res J 22 (2):435–454

  12. Javed M, Ahmad MI, Usmani N, Ahmad M (2017) Multiple biomarker responses (serum biochemistry, oxidative stress, genotoxicity and histopathology) in Channa punctatus exposed to heavy metal loaded waste water. Sci Rep 7(1):1675

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Hogan Z (2011) Ecology and conservation of large-bodied freshwater catfish: a global perspective. In American Fisheries Society Symposium (Vol. 77, pp. 39–53)

  14. Islam MS, Rahman MM, Halder GC, Tanaka M (2006) Fish assemblage of a traditional fishery and the seasonal variations in diet of its most abundant species Wallago attu (Siluriformes: Siluridae) from a tropical floodplain. Aquat Ecol 40:263–272

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Shamsuzzaman MM, Islam MM, Tania NJ, Al-Mamun MA, Barman PP, Xu X (2017) Fisheries resources of Bangladesh: Present status and future direction. Aquaculture Fisheries 2(4):145–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Mandal M, Chatterjee ND, Burman S (2021) Boal (Wallago Attu) Fish Abandonment in Keleghai River, West Bengal: an idea based clarification. Environ Ecosyst Sci 5:23–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Sarkar UK, Sandhya KM, Mishal P, Karnatak G, Lianthuamluaia, Kumari S, Panikkar P, Palaniswamy R, Karthikeyan M, Mol SS, Paul TT (2018) Status, prospects, threats, and the way forward for sustainable management and enhancement of the tropical Indian reservoir fisheries: an overview. Reviews Fisheries Sci Aquaculture 26(2):155–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Habib SS, Naz S, Fazio F, Cravana C, Ullah M, Rind KH, Attaullah S, Filiciotto F, Khayyam K (2024) Assessment and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in water, fish (wild and farmed) and associated human health risk. Biol Trace Elem Res 202(2):725–735

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Batool M, Abdullah S, Ijaz MU, Kousar S, Fatima M, Ilyas R, Mughal KT (2018) Heavy metals (cadmium and lead) induced oxidative stress in Channa marulius and Wallago attu during acute toxicity experiments. Pakistan J Zool Supplementary Ser 13:74–79

    Google Scholar 

  20. Elarabany N, Bahnasawy M (2019) Comparative and interactive biochemical effects of sub-lethal concentrations of cadmium and lead on some tissues of the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Toxicol Res 35:249–255

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. APHA AWWA, WEF (2012). (2012). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 22

  22. Kim SG, Jee JH, Kang JC (2004) Cadmium accumulation and elimination in tissues of juvenile olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus after sub-chronic cadmium exposure. Environ Pollut 127(1):117–123

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Schaperclaus W, Kulow H, Schreckenbach K (1991) Hematological and serological technique. Oxonian, New Delhi, India

    Google Scholar 

  24. Britton CJ, Whitby LE (1963) Disorders of the blood: diagnosis, pathology, treatment, technique. With a Chapter on ’The Cytochemistry of Haemopoiesis’ by FG Hayhoe and a Chapter on ’Blood Groups and Blood Transfusion’ by Geofrey H. Tovey. Churchill

  25. Trinder P (1969) Determination of glucose in blood using glucose oxidase with an alternative oxygen acceptor. Ann Clin Biochem 6:24–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/000456326900600108

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Henry RJ (1964) Colorimetric determination of total protein: clinical chemistry. Harper and Row, New York

    Google Scholar 

  27. Scott GR, Sloman KA (2004) The effects of environmental pollutants on complex fish behaviour: integrating behavioural and physiological indicators of toxicity. Aquat Toxicol 68(4):369–392

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Ahmed I, Reshi QM, Fazio F (2020) The influence of the endogenous and exogenous factors on hematological parameters in different fish species: a review. Aquacult Int 28:869–899

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Al-Balawi HFA, Al-Akel AS, Al-Misned F, Suliman EAM, Al-Ghanim KA, Mahboob S, Ahmad Z (2013) Effects of sub-lethal exposure of lead acetate on histopathology of gills, liver, kidney and muscle and its accumulation in these organs of Clarias gariepinus. Brazilian Archives Biology Technol 56:293–302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Malarvizhi A, Saravanan M, Poopal RK, Hur JH, Ramesh M (2017) Accumulation of cadmium and antioxidant and hormonal responses in the Indian Major Carp Cirrhinus mrigala during acute and sublethal exposure. Water Air Soil Pollut 228:1–14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Javed M, Abbas S, Latif F (2016) Acute toxicity of cadmium and its bio-accumulation in the carnivorous fish species Channa marulius, Mystus seenghala and Wallago attu. Int J Agric Biology 18(6):1169–1173

  32. Al-Kshab AA, Yehya OQ (2021) Determination of the lethal concentration 50%(LC50) of lead chloride and its accumulation in different organs of Gambusia affinis fish. Iraqi J Veterinary Sci 35(2):361–367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Curcio V, Macirella R, Sesti S, Ahmed AI, Talarico F, Tagarelli A, Mezzasalma M, Brunelli E (2022) Morphological and functional alterations induced by two ecologically relevant concentrations of lead on Danio rerio gills. Int J Mol Sci 23(16):9165

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Orr SE, Bridges CC (2017) Chronic kidney disease and exposure to nephrotoxic metals. International journal of molecular sciences, 18(5), p.1039

  35. Mustafa SA, Al-Faragi JK, Salman NM, Al-Rudainy AJ (2017) Histopathological alterations in gills, liver and kidney of common carp, Cyprinus carpio exposed to lead acetate. Adv Anim Vet Sci 5(9):371–376

    Google Scholar 

  36. Shahjahan M, Taslima K, S Rahman M, Al-Emran M, I Alam S, Faggio C (2022) Effects of heavy metals on fish physiology–a review. Chemosphere 300:134519

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Habib SS, Batool AI, Rehman MFU, Naz S (2023) Comparative analysis of hemato-biochemical profile, growth performance, and body composition of common carp cultured under different feed and habitats (biofloc technology and earthen pond systems). North Am J Aquaculture 85(3):277–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Barbieri E, Campos-Garcia J, Martinez DS, da Silva JRM, Alves OL, Rezende KF (2016) Histopathological effects on gills of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, Linnaeus, 1758) exposed to pb and carbon nanotubes. Microsc Microanal 22(6):1162–1169

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Liu H, Fu S, Zhang S, Ding M, Wang A (2020) Lead induces structural damage, microbiota dysbiosis and cell apoptosis in the intestine of juvenile bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis). Aquaculture, 528, p.735573

  40. Wang N, Guo Z, Zhang Y, Zhang P, Liu J, Cheng Y, Zhang L, Li Y (2020) Effect on intestinal microbiota, bioaccumulation, and oxidative stress of Carassius auratus Gibelio under waterborne cadmium exposure. Fish Physiol Biochem 46:2299–2309

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Duan Y, Wang Y, Huang J, Li H, Dong H, Zhang J (2021) Toxic effects of cadmium and lead exposure on intestinal histology, oxidative stress response, and microbial community of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Mar Pollut Bull 167:112220

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Joshi R, Pareek A, Singla-Pareek SL (2016) Plant metallothioneins: classification, distribution, function, and regulation. Plant Metal Interaction. Elsevier, pp 239–261

  43. Ranawat P, Rawat S (2018) Metal-tolerant thermophiles: metals as electron donors and acceptors, toxicity, tolerance and industrial applications. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25:4105–4133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Biuki NA, Savari A, Mortazavi M, Zolgharnein H, Salamat N (2011) Accumulation and elimination of cadmium and lead in juvenile milkfish during sublethal exposure. Toxicol Environ Chem 93(10):2022–2033

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Atli G, Canli EG, Eroglu A, Dogan Z, Canli M (2016) Cadmium and lead alter the antioxidant and osmoregulation systems in the erythrocyte of fish (Oreochromis niloticus). Turkish J Fisheries Aquat Sci 16(2):361–369

    Google Scholar 

  46. Zahedi S, Mirvaghefi A, Rafati M, Mehrpoosh M (2013) Cadmium accumulation and biochemical parameters in juvenile persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus, upon sublethal cadmium exposure. Comp Clin Pathol 22:805–813

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Saliu JK, Bawa-Allah KA (2012) Toxicological effects of lead and zinc on the antioxidant enzyme activities of post juvenile Clarias gariepinus. Resour Environ 2(1):21–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Famurewa AC, Renu K, Eladl MA, Chakraborty R, Myakala H, El-Sherbiny M, Elsherbini DMA, Vellingiri B, Madhyastha H, Wanjari UR, Mukherjee AG (2022) Hesperidin and hesperetin against heavy metal toxicity: insight on the molecular mechanism of mitigation. Biomed Pharmacother 149:112914

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Sauliutė G, Svecevičius G (2015) Heavy metal interactions during accumulation via direct route in fish: a review. Zool Ecol 25(1):77–86

    Google Scholar 

  50. Shastak Y, Pelletier W (2023) Captivating colors, crucial roles: Astaxanthin’s antioxidant impact on Fish oxidative stress and Reproductive Performance. Animals 13(21):3357

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  51. Balasch JC, Tort L (2019) Netting the stress responses in fish. Front Endocrinol 10:62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Hossain MA, Piyatida P, da Silva JAT, Fujita M (2012) Molecular mechanism of heavy metal toxicity and tolerance in plants: central role of glutathione in detoxification of reactive oxygen species and methylglyoxal and in heavy metal chelation. J Bot 2012:872875

  53. Srikanth K, Pereira E, Duarte AC, Ahmad I (2013) Glutathione and its dependent enzymes’ modulatory responses to toxic metals and metalloids in fish—a review. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20:2133–2149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Rajeshkumar S, Liu Y, Ma J, Duan HY, Li X (2017) Effects of exposure to multiple heavy metals on biochemical and histopathological alterations in common carp, Cyprinus carpio L. Fish Shellfish Immunol 70:461–472

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Habib SS, Naz S, Fazio F, Cravana C, Ullah M, Rind KH, Attaullah S, Filiciotto F, Khayyam K (2023) Assessment and Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Water, Fish (wild and Farmed) and Associated Human Health risk. Biol Trace Elem Res 202(2):725–735

  56. Fazio F (2019) Fish hematology analysis as an important tool of aquaculture: a review. Aquaculture 500:237–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Hedayati A, Darabitabar F (2017) Lethal and sub-lethal impacts of lead on some hematological, biochemical and immunological indices in Caspian Roach (Rutilus rutilus). Pollution 3(1):21–27

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Kaya H, Akbulut M, Çelik EŞ, Yılmaz S (2013) Impacts of sublethal lead exposure on the hemato-immunological parameters in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). Toxicol Environ Chem 95(9):1554–1564

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Witeska M, Kondera E, Bojarski B (2023) Hematological and hematopoietic analysis in Fish Toxicology—A Review. Animals 13(16):2625

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  60. Javed M, Usmani N (2015) Impact of heavy metal toxicity on hematology and glycogen status of fish: a review. Proc Natl Acad Sci India Sect B: Biol Sci 85:889–900

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Atli G, Ariyurek SY, Kanak EG, Canli M (2015) Alterations in the serum biomarkers belonging to different metabolic systems of fish (Oreochromis niloticus) after cd and pb exposures. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 40(2):508–515

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Nha Khanh DN, Tuong Vy NT, Quoc Thang N, Sy T, Quang Minh D, The Anh B, Tran NB, Khue Tu DV, L. and, Phuong K, N.T (2022) Accumulation and response to stress in climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) on exposure to high concentrations of lead and cadmium in water. Eur Zoological J 89(1):877–887

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Suprapto H, Arief M, Ermawati L, Hakim HZ, Hidayati N (2019) Toxicity and severe stress of lead (pb) to hematology responses of java barb (Barbonymus gonionotus). Int J Fisheries Aquat Stud 7(6):26–30

    Google Scholar 

  64. Fırat Ö, Kargın F (2010) Individual and combined effects of heavy metals on serum biochemistry of Nile tilapia Oreochromis Niloticus. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 58:151–157

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Tort L (2011) Stress and immune modulation in fish. Dev Comp Immunol 35(12):1366–1375

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Nordlie RC, Foster JD, Lange AJ (1999) Regulation of glucose production by the liver. Annu Rev Nutr 19(1):379–406

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Adam MA, Soegianto A, Risjani Y, Payus CM, Yoga R, Sadi NH, Susanti E, Khumaidi A, Ramli R (2023) The Cortisol Levels, Histology, and Fine Structure of Various Tissues of Fish Gambusia affinis (Baird and Girard, 1853) after Exposure to Lead. Scientifica, 2023

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors extend their appreciation to the Researchers Supporting Project (RSPD2024R758), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

This work was funded by the Researchers Supporting Project (RSPD2024R758), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Rim EL Amouri

  2. Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA

    Javed Ahmed Ujan

  3. Department of Zoology, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Sindh, 66020, Pakistan

    Javed Ahmed Ujan

  4. Government Degree College Nasirabad, District- Qambar-Shahdadkot, Sindh, 770020, Pakistan

    Asif Raza

  5. Plant and Environmental Protection, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, 45500, Pakistan

    Alia Mushtaq

  6. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Punjab, Pakistan

    Muhammad Qamar Saeed

  7. Institute of Zoology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Punjab, Pakistan

    Samrah Masud

  8. Department of Zoology, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, 40100, Punjab, Pakistan

    Syed Sikandar Habib

  9. Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, 34000, Serbia

    Marija Milošević

  10. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 55760, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Salim S. Al-Rejaie & Mohamed Mohany

Authors
  1. Rim EL Amouri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Javed Ahmed Ujan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Asif Raza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alia Mushtaq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Muhammad Qamar Saeed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Samrah Masud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Syed Sikandar Habib
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Marija Milošević
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Salim S. Al-Rejaie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Mohamed Mohany
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Conceptualization, Syed Sikandar Habib and Rim EL Amouri; Data curation, Rim EL Amouri and Javed Ahmed Ujan; Formal analysis, Asif Raza; Investigation, Syed Sikandar Habib, Rim EL Amouri and Alia Mushtaq; Methodology, Rim EL Amouri; Resources, Mohamed Mohany and Marija Milošević; Software, Muhammad Qamar Saeed; Writing – original draft, Syed Sikandar Habib and Samrah Masud; Writing – review & editing, Rim EL Amouri, Mohamed Mohany and Salim S. Al-Rejaie.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Syed Sikandar Habib.

Ethics declarations

Ethical Approval

The authors adhered to all relevant national regulations governing the ethical treatment and use of animals, and the study was carried out following approval from the Zoology Department, University of Sargodha ethical committee.

Consent for Publication

Not applicable.

Competing Interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Amouri, R.E., Ujan, J.A., Raza, A. et al. Sublethal Concentrations of Cadmium and Lead: Effects on Hemato-Biochemical Parameters and Tissue Accumulation in Wallagu attu. Biol Trace Elem Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04158-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04158-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation