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A morphometric study of the effects of tributyltin compounds on the gills of the mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus
Author(s) -
Pinkney A. E.,
Wright D. A.,
Hughes G. M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1989.tb03348.x
Subject(s) - fundulus , gill , tributyltin , biology , toxicity , anatomy , ultrastructure , acute toxicity , toxicology , fish <actinopterygii> , andrology , physiology , zoology , medicine , ecology , fishery
The effects of tributyltin (TBT) compounds on gill morphology were examined in the mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus , in 96‐h LC50 and 6‐week sublethal exposures. Morphometry was used for the identification and quantification of effects with the light microscope. A 96‐h LC50 of 17.2 μg 1 1 was determined. Morphometric analysis of gill tissues revealed hypertrophy of the lamellar epithelium in fish exposed to 17.2 μg 1–1. Relative diffusing capacity was significantly decreased (−41 %); ( P <0.05, ANOVA, Bonferroni t ‐test). At 35.6 μg 1 −1 , TBT exposure resulted in a significant reduction (− 40%) in the volume of the lamellar blood channels. Both of these observations occurred in fish that showed signs of acute poisoning including loss of equilibrium. In fish exposed to sublethal concentrations of 0.105–2.000 μg TBT 1 −1 for 6 weeks, there were no pathological changes in the gill. There were no treatment‐related changes in the surface morphology of the gills of fish from both experiments upon scanning electron microscopic examination. Although gill pathology was observed in acutely toxic exposures, it does not appear to be a major mechanism of TBT toxicity.