Teratogenic effect of phenolic metabolites on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

Teratogenic effect of phenolic metabolites on zebrafish (Danio rerio)
embryos
Tamer El-Sayed Ali
Oceanography Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Egypt.
[email protected]
Received 16th March 2010, Accepted 25th June 2010
Abstract
The hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs) are important metabolites formed by in vivo
metabolism of brominted diphenyl ethers and a natural product produced by marine organisms such as algae, so
such ethers are ubiquitous in the environment. To monitor both general toxicity as well as teratogenecity of this
metabolite, embryos of zebrafish were exposed to gradual concentrations of 6-OH-BD90. After 24, 48 and 72 hours
of exposure, general morphology and teratogenic effects were recorded. Both the general morphology score and the
teratogenecity score were analyzed. Results showed that doses ≥ 1 μM were lethal in the first hours of exposure
while the doses 0.03 & 0.1 μM had no effects on the embryos. Doses in between caused developmental retardation
and deformation in a dose-related fashion. In addition, these compounds induced several teratogenic effects. This
study shows that such metabolites should be included in the ecotoxiological studies for a proper risk assessment and
more attention should be given to this class of chemicals in the aquatic environment.
Keywords: Metabolites, Zebrafish, Toxicity, Developmental abnormalities