Combined toxicity of xenobiotics bisphenol a and heavy metals on zebrafish embryos (Danio rerio)

Environmental pollutants may cause adverse effects on the immune system of aquatic organisms. This study revealed that combination of environmental pollutants and Bisphenol A(BPA) could cause an acute inflammatory response in zebrafish larvae as shown by body alterations, which may imply a common immunotoxicity mechanism for most environmental pollutants. In the present study we evaluated the toxicity after co-exposure of BPA and Cd or Cr (III) in zebrafish embryos and larvae, and the oxidative stress pathway involved. Evaluation of lethal and developmental endpoints such as hatching, edema, malformations, abnormal heart rate and survival rate were evaluated after 96 h of exposure. Combination of BPA at 10 µM with Cd or Cr at 0.5 µM exposure induce malformations at 96 hpf in zebrafish larvae, as well as significantly increases oxidative stress and induce apoptosis on larvae. Our study suggested how environmental pollutant showed a synergistic effect at common not-effective doses, promoting decrease of antioxidant defense and contrasted fish development.