Assessment of physiological effects of sublethal cadmium on Cyprinus carpio

Abstract

The effects of sublethal and short-term exposure to Cd were assessed with the purpose of studying the energy metabolism parameters in young Cyprinus carpio under laboratory conditions. The fish were exposed to Cd solutions (0.20 mg Cd. L-1) over a two-week term. The assayed concentration was environmentally realistic since it was frequently found in most highly polluted peri-urban water bodies in Argentina. No mortality was recorded among the animals during the experiments. The relationships between assimilation efficiency (U), oxygen consumption as a measure of specific metabolic rate (SMR) and ammonium excretion (AE) were determined. After exposure to Cd, a significant correlation was found between SMR and AE. It was concluded that under the assayed conditions the metal caused alterations in energy-related homeostasis of fish. Most of the responses may be interpreted as indicative of adaptations to compensate for increased energy requirements due to the physiological impairments caused by Cd.