Cellular responses in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared in tritiated water and/or fed organically bound tritium.

For the evaluation of biological effects of low level chronic tritium exposure in fish, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were exposed to tritiated water and/or fed a diet spiked with tritiated essential amino acids. Differences in fatty acid composition were noted following the tritium exposures. In addition, changes in response to a subsequent acute high dose of gamma radiation delivered in vitro were noted when evaluating DNA repair activity and fatty acid composition.

Correlated responses for DNA damage, phagocytosis activity and lysosomal function revealed in a comparison between field and laboratory studies: Fathead minnow exposed to tritium.

Tritium entering the aquatic environment can confer a whole body internal radiological dose to aquatic organisms. Multiple stressors inherent in natural environments, however, confound estimates for observable radiation specific responses. To disentangle differences between field and laboratory outcomes to tritium exposures, a multivariate analysis comparing biomarkers for radiation exposure at the cellular level with changes in biological processes within tissues is described for fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas).