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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #76385
Title: EFFECT OF WATERBORNE COPPER SULFATE EXPOSURE ON COPPER CONTENT OF LIVER AND AXIAL MUSCLE OF CHANNEL CATFISH (ICTALURUS PUNCTATUS)

Author
item Griffin, Billy
item HOBBS, MELISSA - UA
item Franks, Jan
item SCHLENK, DANIEL - UM DEPT PHARMACOLOGY
item KADLUBAR, FRED - NCTR
item BRAND, C DAN - NCTR

Submitted to: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Copper sulfate is used as a treatment for many fish diseases. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for regulating the use of copper sulfate as a therapeutic drug for use in food fish. In response to a needs statement by FDA, the following study was done. Edible muscle and liver tissues of channel catfish were analysed for copper content after prolonged exposure to waterborne copper sulfate. Copper sulfate concentrations were higher and exposure times longer than when the chemical is used to treat fish diseases, creating a "worse case" scenario. Under "worse case" conditions, there was no increase in copper content of edible muscle. Copper content of liver tissue increased in line with increasing copper sulfate levels and returned to normal within 8 weeks after treatment was terminated. The results indicate that no human hazard accrues as a result of use of copper sulfate to treat diseases of cultured fish.

Technical Abstract: Adult channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were exposed to 1.7, 2.7, or 3.6 mg/L of added waterborn copper sulfate continuously for 10 weeks. There were no significant differences in the copper content of axial muscle of channel catfish during the exposure period and there was no significant copper accumulation as a result of exposure. Significantly higher concentrations of copper were present in livers of catfish in all exposed groups 2 weeks after initiating exposure to waterborne copper sulfate. Extent of liver accumulation was gender and dose related, with males at the highest dosage accumulating higher quantities than any other group. After exposure to waterborne copper sulfate was discontinued at 10 weeks, copper concentrations in liver tissue returned to levels that were indistinguishable from controls in 4 to 8 weeks. Results indicate that copper sulfate used as a waterborne disease therapeutant for channel catfish does not alter copper content of edible muscle of channel catfish and sould not present any hazard to human consumers.