The cytotoxicity, DNA fragmentation, and decreasing velocity induced by chromium(III) oxide on rainbow trout spermatozoa

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the cytotoxicity of chromium(III) oxide micro particles (Cr2O3-Ps) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) spermatozoa. Firstly, Cr2O3-Ps were synthesized and structurally characterized the surface, morphological for particle size and thermal properties. In addition, its structural and elemental purity was determined using energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum and elemental maps. Structural purity, thermal properties, and stability of Cr2O3 -Ps were also examined in detail by performing thermal analysis techniques. The cytotoxicity of Cr2O3-Ps was measured by the observation of velocities, antioxidant activities, and DNA damages in rainbow trout spermatozoa after exposure during 3 h in vitro incubation. The straight line velocity (VSL), the curvilinear velocity (VCL), and the angular path velocity (VAP) of spermatozoa decreased after exposure to Cr2O3-Ps. While the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the catalase (CAT) decreased, the lipid peroxidation increased in a dose-dependent manner. However, the total glutathione (tGSH) was not affected in this period. DNA damages were also determined in spermatozoa using Comet assay. According to DNA in tail (%) data, DNA damages have been detected with gradually increasing concentrations of Cr2O3-Ps. Furthermore, all of class types which are categorized as the intensity of DNA fragmentation has been observed between 50 and 500 mu g/L concentrations of Cr2O3-Ps exposed to rainbow trout spermatozoa. At the end of this study, we determined that the effective concentrations (EC50) were 76.67 mu g/L for VSL and 87.77 mu g/L for VCL. Finally, these results about Cr2O3-Ps may say to be major risk concentrations over 70 mu g/L for fish reproduction in aquatic environments.