PARENT SESSION

2C - Biomarkers
Poster Hall
8:30 AM - Tuesday, 29 April 2003
Chair: Hansen, P.D.¹, ¹
Co-chair: Vindimian, E.², ²

(TUP/98) Developmental toxicity and stress protein response in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos after exposure to Diclofenac.

Hallare, Arnold¹, Koehler, Heinz-R¹, Rita, Triebskorn^{1, 2}, ¹ Animal Physiological Ecology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Baden-Wuertemberg, Germany² Steinbeiz-Transferzentrum for Ecotoxicology and Ecophysiology, Rottenburg, Baden-Wuertemberg, Germany

ABSTRACT- One of the most frequently detected pharmaceuticals in environmental water samples is the anti-rheumatic drug, diclofenac. Despite its increasing environmental significance, investigations concerning the effects of this drug on the early developmental stages of aquatic species are lacking up to now. To determine the embryotoxic potentials of diclofenac, eggs of zebrafish were exposed to 6 concentrations (0, 1, 20, 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 g/l) using DMSO as solvent. Early life stage parameters such as egg and embryo mortality, gastrulation, somite formation, movement and tail detachment, pigmentation, heart beat and blood circulation, and hatching success were noted and described within 48 and 96 hours of exposure. Preliminary results showed no significant inhibition in the normal development until the end of 96 hours for all exposure levels. However, there was a significant delay in hatching time among embryos exposed to 1000 and 2000 g/l. The mortality and average heart rate data (48 and 96 hrs) did not show significant differences for all embryos in both diclofenac and DMSO concentrations. No significant malformations were noted among the developing embryos throughout the exposure period. After 96 hours, samples for analysis of the stress protein (hsp 70) induction were taken and are currently being processed. Concentration-effect relationships will be established for both the six diclofenac as well as DMSO concentrations.

Key words: zebrafish, Diclofenac, embryotoxicity, stress proteins