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University of Ontario Institute of Technology

The anti-estrogenic and liver metabolic effects of DHAA in rainbow trout (oncorhynchus mykiss)

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Recent studies have shown that dehydroabietic acid (DHAA), a resin acid present in pulp and paper mills, may have anti-estrogenic effects in fish. A chronic-exposure toxicity experiment using immature rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was conducted in order to assess the endocrine disrupting and liver metabolic effects of the wood extractives DHAA and β- sitosterol (BS) regularly present in pulp and paper mills and the model estrogen 17β-estradiol (E2). It was found that exposure to 5 ppm of E2 significantly increased hepatosomatic index (HSI), vitellogenin (VTG) and plasma sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH). This effect was reduced by mixing E2 with DHAA, indicating that DHAA does not cause its anti-estrogenic effects indirectly due to liver damage. Exposure to 5 ppm of DHAA caused a significant increase in liver citrate synthase (CS), and liver ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity after 7 days, however, the fish recovered by 28 days. This study also determined the effect of 14 different pulp and paper mill effluent extracts on liver enzyme metabolism through alterations in the activity of liver lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH) and CS. This activity varied greatly between mills but most showed an induction of CS after 28 days exposure through i.p. injection. The results of the study indicate that DHAA may alter energy metabolism as well as cause anti-estrogenic effects in female juvenile rainbow trout.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science (MSc)
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Applied Bioscience
Grantor
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Year dc:date.issued
2011

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Pandelides, Zacharias
Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
  • Holdway, Douglas

Subjects

dc:subject × 5

Rights

Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
https://hdl.handle.net/10155/191
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:ontariotechu.scholaris.ca:10155/191

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Ontario Institute of Technology
Base URL
ontariotechu.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Pandelides, Zacharias. The anti-estrogenic and liver metabolic effects of DHAA in rainbow trout (oncorhynchus mykiss). University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2011. https://hdl.handle.net/10155/191