Accumulation and effects of nickel and thallium in early-life stages of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

Early-life stages of fathead minnows were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of aqueous and dietary nickel and thallium and metal accumulation was monitored from the embryo until the larvae reached 21 days after hatching. During and after metal exposure, 6 toxicity endpoints were measured: time to hatch, embryo survival rate, routine metabolic rate and the activity of key enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase, nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK), cytochrome C oxidase (CCO)). Although both Ni and Tl bioaccumulation were significant in embryos and non-feeding larvae, water was the major source of Ni and Tl in feeding larvae. Exposure to aqueous Ni decreased time to hatch and increased aerobic and biosynthetic capacities (as indicated by a higher activity of CCO and NDPK, respectively), suggesting that aqueous Ni exposure stimulates metabolism in early-life stages of fathead minnows.