Multiple biomarker response in rainbow trout during exposure to hexavalent chromium

This research investigated hexavalent chromium toxicity in rainbow trout using a panel of biomarkers at different levels of biological organization. A time-course experiment in which rainbow trout were exposed in hard water (63.5 mg/L CaCO3) to a sublethal concentration of hexavalent chromium (10 mg/L) for a period of 28 days was conducted. The responses of multiple biomarkers were measured in gill and liver tissues at varying time points. Significant differences in metallothionein induction, superoxide dismutase activity, lipid peroxidation, cellular morphology, and growth were observed. Results indicated that gill tissues were more sensitive than hepatic tissues to chromium toxicity, yet hepatic tissues appeared to play a larger role in the organism's adaptive response to chromium compared to gill tissues. This study highlights the importance of using a set of integrated biomarkers to assess contaminant exposure and effects.