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Article

Biomarker-Based Assessment of Four Native Fish Species in the Danube River Under Untreated Wastewater Exposure

by
Karolina Sunjog
1,*,
Srđan Subotić
2,
Jovana Kostić
1,
Nebojša Jasnić
3,
Branka Vuković-Gačić
4,
Mirjana Lenhardt
1,5 and
Željka Višnjić-Jeftić
1
1
Department of Biology and Inland Waters Protection, Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia
2
Department of Animal Ecology and Zoogeography, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 11158 Belgrade, Serbia
3
Department of Comparative Physiology and Ecophysiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 11158 Belgrade, Serbia
4
Center for Genotoxicology and Ecogenotoxicology, Chair of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, 11158 Belgrade, Serbia
5
Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11158 Belgrade, Serbia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Fishes 2025, 10(9), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10090445
Submission received: 31 July 2025 / Revised: 25 August 2025 / Accepted: 30 August 2025 / Published: 3 September 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicology of Anthropogenic Pollutants on Fish)
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Abstract

This study assessed the impact of untreated wastewater discharge in the Danube River on four native fish species: barbel (Barbus barbus), vimba bream (Vimba vimba), perch (Perca fluviatilis), and white bream (Blicca bjoerkna). Biomarkers of exposure and effect were evaluated, including metal and metalloid bioaccumulation in gills, liver, and gonads, DNA damage (comet assay), chromosomal abnormalities (micronucleus assay), liver enzyme activities (ALT, AST), and erythrocyte maturation. White bream showed the highest genotoxic damage (TI% = 22.57), particularly in liver tissue, indicating high sensitivity to pollution. Perch had elevated DNA damage in blood (TI% = 22.69) and strong biomarker responses, likely due to its predatory behavior. Barbel displayed notable DNA damage in gills (TI% = 30.67) and liver (TI% = 20.35), aligning with sediment exposure due to its benthic habits. Vimba bream had the lowest responses, possibly reflecting reduced exposure or resilience. Element accumulation varied across tissues and species, with perch showing the highest overall levels. Hepatic enzyme activities (highest values: ALT = 105.69 in barbel; AST = 91.25 in white bream) and changes in erythrocyte profiles supported evidence of physiological stress. Integrated Biomarker Response (IBR) analysis identified white bream as the most sensitive species, followed by perch and barbel. These results emphasize the value of multi-species biomonitoring and the importance of species-specific traits in freshwater ecotoxicology.
Keywords: native fish species; wastewater pollution; integrated biomarker response (IBR); genotoxicity; element bioaccumulation; enzyme activities native fish species; wastewater pollution; integrated biomarker response (IBR); genotoxicity; element bioaccumulation; enzyme activities

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MDPI and ACS Style

Sunjog, K.; Subotić, S.; Kostić, J.; Jasnić, N.; Vuković-Gačić, B.; Lenhardt, M.; Višnjić-Jeftić, Ž. Biomarker-Based Assessment of Four Native Fish Species in the Danube River Under Untreated Wastewater Exposure. Fishes 2025, 10, 445. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10090445

AMA Style

Sunjog K, Subotić S, Kostić J, Jasnić N, Vuković-Gačić B, Lenhardt M, Višnjić-Jeftić Ž. Biomarker-Based Assessment of Four Native Fish Species in the Danube River Under Untreated Wastewater Exposure. Fishes. 2025; 10(9):445. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10090445

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sunjog, Karolina, Srđan Subotić, Jovana Kostić, Nebojša Jasnić, Branka Vuković-Gačić, Mirjana Lenhardt, and Željka Višnjić-Jeftić. 2025. "Biomarker-Based Assessment of Four Native Fish Species in the Danube River Under Untreated Wastewater Exposure" Fishes 10, no. 9: 445. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10090445

APA Style

Sunjog, K., Subotić, S., Kostić, J., Jasnić, N., Vuković-Gačić, B., Lenhardt, M., & Višnjić-Jeftić, Ž. (2025). Biomarker-Based Assessment of Four Native Fish Species in the Danube River Under Untreated Wastewater Exposure. Fishes, 10(9), 445. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10090445

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