Seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein contents in Asian swamp eels, Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) from Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia
Abstract Background Levels of toxic metal exposure in indigenous inhabitants are key bioindicators of the severity of environmental contamination. This study measured the seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein (MT) contents in Asian swamp eels (Monopterus albus) from a paddy field si...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2019-01-01
|
| Series: | BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40360-019-0286-x |
| _version_ | 1818500483745054720 |
|---|---|
| author | Ai Yin Sow Ahmad Ismail Syaizwan Zahmir Zulkifli Mohammad Noor Amal Kamarul Hambali |
| author_facet | Ai Yin Sow Ahmad Ismail Syaizwan Zahmir Zulkifli Mohammad Noor Amal Kamarul Hambali |
| author_sort | Ai Yin Sow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Levels of toxic metal exposure in indigenous inhabitants are key bioindicators of the severity of environmental contamination. This study measured the seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein (MT) contents in Asian swamp eels (Monopterus albus) from a paddy field situated in Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia, to identify prevalence, patterns and associations and togain insight on the suitability of MT as a biomarker for metal exposure. Methods Gill, muscle and liver tissues of M. albus (n = 50) sampled during the ploughing, seedling, growing and harvesting phases of rice growing were collected. The concentrations of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and cadmium (Cd) in these tissues were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. MT from each sample was isolated and purified, and subsequently quantitated using UV spectrophotometry. Associations between metal and MT concentrations, season and tissue type were evaluated using Pearson correlation and ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey HSD analysis. Results Zn was present in higher quantities in gill and liver tissues, while Cu levels were elevated solely in liver. Patterns of non-essential metal accumulation were varied: Cd was detected in low concentrations in all tissues, while Pb and Ni were abundant in gill tissues across all seasons. MT concentration in liver tissue was consistently higher than that found in muscle or gill tissue, except during the growing phase. Moreover, significant correlations (P < 0.05) were observed for Cd, Ni, and Zn when MT was employed as metal exposure biomarker. However, no significant association was found between high Pb and Ni levels and MT concentration in gill tissue.Variation of bioaccumulation rates of heavy metals among the different tissues was observed. Some of these metal concentration differences were found to be associated with MT concentration and, by extension, to its high metal-binding capacity. Conclusions Significant liver MT-Zn, MT-Cd, and MT-Ni correlations found in this study emphasised the role of metallothionein as a biomarker for exposure of zinc, cadmium and nickel metals in M. albus. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:43:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b39f2cb56af3448884ecbddfda2f6341 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-6511 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:43:19Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b39f2cb56af3448884ecbddfda2f63412022-12-22T01:34:19ZengBMCBMC Pharmacology and Toxicology2050-65112019-01-012011810.1186/s40360-019-0286-xSeasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein contents in Asian swamp eels, Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) from Tumpat, Kelantan, MalaysiaAi Yin Sow0Ahmad Ismail1Syaizwan Zahmir Zulkifli2Mohammad Noor Amal3Kamarul Hambali4Faculty of Agro-Based Industry, Jeli CampusFaculty of Science, Universiti Putra MalaysiaFaculty of Science, Universiti Putra MalaysiaFaculty of Science, Universiti Putra MalaysiaFakulti of Earth Science, Universiti Malaysia KelantanAbstract Background Levels of toxic metal exposure in indigenous inhabitants are key bioindicators of the severity of environmental contamination. This study measured the seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein (MT) contents in Asian swamp eels (Monopterus albus) from a paddy field situated in Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia, to identify prevalence, patterns and associations and togain insight on the suitability of MT as a biomarker for metal exposure. Methods Gill, muscle and liver tissues of M. albus (n = 50) sampled during the ploughing, seedling, growing and harvesting phases of rice growing were collected. The concentrations of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and cadmium (Cd) in these tissues were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. MT from each sample was isolated and purified, and subsequently quantitated using UV spectrophotometry. Associations between metal and MT concentrations, season and tissue type were evaluated using Pearson correlation and ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey HSD analysis. Results Zn was present in higher quantities in gill and liver tissues, while Cu levels were elevated solely in liver. Patterns of non-essential metal accumulation were varied: Cd was detected in low concentrations in all tissues, while Pb and Ni were abundant in gill tissues across all seasons. MT concentration in liver tissue was consistently higher than that found in muscle or gill tissue, except during the growing phase. Moreover, significant correlations (P < 0.05) were observed for Cd, Ni, and Zn when MT was employed as metal exposure biomarker. However, no significant association was found between high Pb and Ni levels and MT concentration in gill tissue.Variation of bioaccumulation rates of heavy metals among the different tissues was observed. Some of these metal concentration differences were found to be associated with MT concentration and, by extension, to its high metal-binding capacity. Conclusions Significant liver MT-Zn, MT-Cd, and MT-Ni correlations found in this study emphasised the role of metallothionein as a biomarker for exposure of zinc, cadmium and nickel metals in M. albus.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40360-019-0286-xHeavy metalsMetallothioneinAsian swamp eelPaddy seasonsKelantan |
| spellingShingle | Ai Yin Sow Ahmad Ismail Syaizwan Zahmir Zulkifli Mohammad Noor Amal Kamarul Hambali Seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein contents in Asian swamp eels, Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) from Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology Heavy metals Metallothionein Asian swamp eel Paddy seasons Kelantan |
| title | Seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein contents in Asian swamp eels, Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) from Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia |
| title_full | Seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein contents in Asian swamp eels, Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) from Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein contents in Asian swamp eels, Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) from Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein contents in Asian swamp eels, Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) from Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia |
| title_short | Seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein contents in Asian swamp eels, Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) from Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia |
| title_sort | seasonal variation of heavy metals and metallothionein contents in asian swamp eels monopterus albus zuiew 1793 from tumpat kelantan malaysia |
| topic | Heavy metals Metallothionein Asian swamp eel Paddy seasons Kelantan |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40360-019-0286-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aiyinsow seasonalvariationofheavymetalsandmetallothioneincontentsinasianswampeelsmonopterusalbuszuiew1793fromtumpatkelantanmalaysia AT ahmadismail seasonalvariationofheavymetalsandmetallothioneincontentsinasianswampeelsmonopterusalbuszuiew1793fromtumpatkelantanmalaysia AT syaizwanzahmirzulkifli seasonalvariationofheavymetalsandmetallothioneincontentsinasianswampeelsmonopterusalbuszuiew1793fromtumpatkelantanmalaysia AT mohammadnooramal seasonalvariationofheavymetalsandmetallothioneincontentsinasianswampeelsmonopterusalbuszuiew1793fromtumpatkelantanmalaysia AT kamarulhambali seasonalvariationofheavymetalsandmetallothioneincontentsinasianswampeelsmonopterusalbuszuiew1793fromtumpatkelantanmalaysia |