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SUBACUTE HEMATOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF THE YUCATAN SAILFIN MOLLY (POECILIA VELIFERA) EXPOSED TO CADMIUM CHLORIDE
Citation:
Rusnak, S. M., J W. Fournie, AND W. R. Hartley. SUBACUTE HEMATOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF THE YUCATAN SAILFIN MOLLY (POECILIA VELIFERA) EXPOSED TO CADMIUM CHLORIDE. Presented at 41st Annual Meeting of Society of Toxicology, Nashville, TN, March 17-21-2002.
Description:
This study focuses on the subacute hematological responses of the Yucatan sailfin molly, Poecilia velifera, exposed to cadmium chloride. Previous studies in other teleosts and mammals have suggested that exposure to cadmium chloride results in a leucocytic response. Fish were exposed to nominal concentrations of 9, 5, 0.9, and 0.01 mg/L of cadmium chloride for seven days (n=100) in static exposure chambers. At the end of the exposure period, blood smears from surviving fish were taken via dorsal gill incision, fixed in methanol, and stained with Giemsa. Differential and total blood cell counts were determined and used to find the absolute
blood cell count. Peripheral blood leucocytes, not previously characterized in this species of fish, were observed and described. Lymphocytes, large and small eosinophils, monocytes, and immature granulocytes were observed. Basophils and neutrophils were not observed in this species. Preliminary finds indicate a significant increase in the total leucocyte count as well as the absolute eosinophil count in fish exposed to cadmium chloride compared to the control group (n < .02). The potential use of the Yucatan sailfin molly as an environmental model for adverse hematological/immunological effects is discussed.