Toxicity to fish of multicomponent metal mixtures at maximum-permissible-concentrations (MPC: Cd-0.005, Cr-0.01, Cu-0.01, Ni-0.01, Pb-0.005 and Zn-0.1 mg/L) set for EU inland waters was evaluated using the whole-mixture approach. An extended follow-up study on the biological effects of multicomponent metal mixtures on three ecologically different fish species, i.e. Perca fluviatilis, Rutilus rutilus, and Salmo salar is reported. The aim of this study was to assess response patterns of biomarkers (erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENAs), metal accumulation and metallothioneins) in tissues of fish species after 14-day treatment with multicomponent metal mixtures at MPC and metal mixtures with one of its components at reduced MPC (↓). After treatments with Cu↓ and Cr↓, the lowest amount of Ni was found in all tissues (except the liver) of all fish species tested. After Zn↓ and Pb↓ treatments, the amount of Ni in muscle of all the tested fish species significantly decreased. The highest amounts of Cr in gills and Pb in muscle were detected in all fish species after treatments with Ni↓ and Cd↓ mixtures, respectively. R. rutilus accumulated significantly larger amounts of metals than P. fluviatilis and S. salar. The data obtained show that tissues of the omnivorous R. rutilus exposed to metal mixtures accumulated higher amounts of Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn, while tissues of carnivorous S. salar and P. fluviatilis higher amounts of Cd and Pb. The analysis of ENAs revealed concentration-dependent responses, indicating Cu↓ and Cr↓ treatments as causes of higher geno- and cytotoxicity levels.
Keywords: Accumulation; Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity; Metal mixture; Perca fluviatilis; Rutilus rutilus; Salmo salar.