Metal mixture toxicity and defense mechanisms in zebrafish and other model species.

Metals play a pivotal role in various biochemical and physiological processes. They are widely found in nature, particularly in mineral deposits and soils, meaning that they are available to be taken up by plants and animals that serve as a food source for humans. Virtually, all metals, including the essential metal micronutrients, are toxic to both fresh and marine organisms as well as humans if exposure levels are sufficiently high. The toxicity of the most important metals such as copper, zinc, nickel, lead, cadmium, etc. have been extensively documented for various species and the results have been used to derive environmental standards. However, the studies on potential toxicity in combined metal scenarios via different routes of exposure and its comparison at different biological levels is scarce. Our study is a first of its kind, in which we will study mixed metal toxicity through different routes of exposure in different organisms. This will not only provide an insight into underlying molecular mechanisms in generic versus compound specific stress responses, but also compare the effects at different biological levels, via different routes of exposure. This will help to understand if the effects are species specific and whether the effects are dependent upon routes of exposure. We expect that with this study we should be able to predict the consequences of metal contamination not only from the toxicological view point but also from ecological point of view.

Keywords:METAL POLLUTION, ZEBRAFISH, EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

Disciplines:Animal biology, General biology, Veterinary medicine