Pesticide residues in adipose tissue from hippopotami (Hippopotamus amphibius L) living in and adjacent to the Luangwa River in Zambia

The concentration of organochlorines (OCs) such as organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls were measured in adipose tissue collected from 14 male hippopotami at Mfuwe in the southern part of the Luangwa National Park, Zambia. The samples contained low levels of OCs, and the concentrations of OCs were comparable to or lower than reported for wild herbivores studied in other parts of the world.

Hepatic and renal concentrations of copper and other trace elements in hippopotami (Hippopotamus amphibius L) living in and adjacent to the Kafue and Luangwa Rivers in Zambia

Hepatic and renal concentrations of the elements arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, selenium and zinc were studied in samples collected from hippopotami from the Kafue River in the Kafue National Park and the Luangwa River in the Southern Luangwa National Park in Zambia. There were no significant differences between trace element concentrations in the tissues of the hippopotami taken in the Kafue River and the Luangwa River. The concentrations of copper and other essential elements were similar to those reported in normal domestic and wild ruminants. Judging by the results obtained in this study, pollution from the mining activity around the Kafue River drainage area in the Copperbelt region has not led to any accumulation of elements in tissues of the hippopotami in the Kafue National Park. The trace element concentrations observed may serve as reference for similar future studies on hippopotami.

Effects of three fungicides alone and in combination on glutathione S-transferase activity (GST) and cytochrome P-450 (CYP 1A1) in the liver and gill of brown trout (Salmo trutta)

In order to evaluate the gill glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity as a biomarker of effect of fungicide exposure in juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta), the fungicides propiconazole [(R,S)-1-[2-(2,4-diclophenyl)-4-propyl-1,3-dioolan-2-ylmetyl]-1H-1,2,4-triazole] and fenpropimorph [(+/-)-cis-4-[3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-2-metyl propyl]-2,6 dimetylmorfolinc] were administrated in the water separately and together in a static system (80 microg/l for each pesticide) for 5 days. The combined fungicides gave a significant decrease in gill GST activity towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), whilst hepatic GST-activity was not significantly changed. Furthermore, continuous exposure to 540 ug/l thiabendazole[2-(thiazol-4'-yl)benzimidazole] in a flow-through system for 4 days significantly increased the gill glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity towards CDNB, whilst hepatic GST and cytochrome P450 (CYP 1A) activities were not increased by the treatment.