Biochemical and physiological responses in liver and muscle of rainbow trout after long-term exposure to propiconazole

In this study, the chronic toxic effects of PCZ, a triazole fungicide commonly present in surface and ground water, on morphological indices, ROS generation and RNA/DNA ratio in liver and white muscle of rainbow trout were investigated. Fish were exposed at sublethal concentrations of PCZ (0.2, 50 and 500 μg L−1) for 7, 20 and 30 d. Compared with the control, there were significant lower CF and HSI in fish exposed at the highest concentration of PCZ. ROS levels in both tissues increased significantly at higher PCZ concentrations (50 and 500 μg L−1) after 20 d and above, as well as in muscle of fish exposed at lowest PCZ concentration (0.2 μg L−1) after 30 d. The hepatic antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) activities were induced significantly at higher concentrations (50, 500 μg L−1) of PCZ after 20 d and at 50 μg L−1 after 30 d. Additional, hepatic SOD activity was significantly induced at 0.2 μg L−1 after 30 d. Compared with the hepatic antioxidant enzymes activities in fish exposed to 50 μg L−1 of PCZ, there was a decreasing trend in those exposed to 500 μg L−1 after 30 d exposure. However, both the antioxidant enzymes activities were significantly inhibited in muscle of fish exposed to 500 μg L−1 PCZ after 30 d. Moreover there was significant lower RNA/DNA ratio in both tissues after long-term exposure to higher concentration of PCZ. In short, environmental concentrations of PCZ could not induce obvious impacts on fish, but long-term exposure to higher concentrations of CBZ could affect seriously the health status of fish.