Impacts of contaminants on aquatic organisms

污染物对水生生物的影响

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-04404
• 负责人: Metcalfe, Christopher
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: Trent University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=632023
• 关键词: Impacts; contaminants; aquatic; organisms

Fish and other aquatic organisms are exposed to a mixture of chemical contaminants that come from sewage treatment plants, industry and runoff from agricultural fields. These chemicals do not usually kill aquatic organisms directly, but they can affect their ability to reproduce or to thrive in the aquatic environment. Scientists are looking for ways to predict from changes in the body chemistry of fish and other aquatic organisms whether they are being affected by exposure to these chemicals. At Trent University, we will use the state-of-the-art analytical facilities in our Water Quality Centre to look for subtle changes in the metabolism of fish that indicate that they are being affected by mixtures of contaminants. Using both lab and field experiments, we will look at changes in the brain chemistry of fish to see if they are being affected by exposure to the antidepressants and illicit drugs such as cocaine that are being released from municipal sewage treatment plants into rivers and streams. Similarly, we will collect blood samples from fish to see if they are showing evidence of “oxidative stress” as a result of exposure to chemical mixtures. Oxidative stress occurs naturally in cells, but when chemicals overwhelm the ability of cells to deal with this condition, the cells begin to break down and the health of the organism is compromised. Working under my supervision, two Master’s level and two Doctoral level graduate students enrolled in the Environmental and Life Sciences graduate program at Trent University will work on this project.

鱼类和其他水生生物暴露于来自污水处理厂、工业和农田径流的化学污染物的混合物中。这些化学品通常不会直接杀死水生生物，但会影响它们在水生环境中繁殖或茁壮成长的能力。科学家们正在寻找方法，从鱼类和其他水生生物体内化学物质的变化来预测它们是否受到这些化学物质的影响。在特伦特大学，我们将使用我们的水质中心最先进的分析设施来寻找鱼类新陈代谢的微妙变化，这些变化表明它们受到污染物混合物的影响。通过实验室和现场实验，我们将研究鱼类大脑化学的变化，看看它们是否受到抗抑郁药和可卡因等非法药物的影响，这些药物从城市污水处理厂释放到河流和溪流中。同样，我们将收集鱼类的血液样本，看看它们是否因暴露于化学混合物而显示出“氧化应激”的证据。氧化应激在细胞中自然发生，但是当化学物质压倒细胞处理这种情况的能力时，细胞开始分解，生物体的健康受到损害。在我的指导下，特伦特大学环境与生命科学研究生课程的两名硕士和两名博士研究生将参与这个项目。