Effects of biological and technical factors on brain and muscle cholinesterases in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus: implications for biomonitoring neurotoxic contaminations

Abstract

Influence of body length, body weight, gender, sexual maturity, and tissue storage on brain and muscle cholinesterases (ChE) in Nile tilapia was evaluated considering its potential use in biomonitoring neurotoxic contaminations in tropical environments. Results show that ChE activities in both tissues decreased significantly with increased total length (4–24.5 cm) or body weight (1–186 g) of the fish and the relationships were curvilinear. Comparisons of the slopes and elevations of the regression lines of the logarithmic ChE and body size relationships of males with those of females indicated that gender had no significant effect on the body size-specific ChE activities. Response of the ChE of sexually mature males to chlorpyrifos exposure was similar to that of females. Gonadal maturity stage of this fish does not seem to influence ChE activities. Storage of tissues at –80°C for 28 days had no significant effect on ChE activities in the control fish and the fish exposed to carbofuran. However, a partial reactivation of brain ChE activities was observed in the fish exposed to carbosulfan after 28 days of storage. The results emphasize the importance of consideration of body size of the fish and storage time of the tissues in order to formulate accurate conclusions about the neurotoxic chemical exposure when ChE of the fish is used in biomonitoring programs.