On the relevance of genotoxicity for fish populations I: effects of a model genotoxicant on zebrafish ( Danio rerio) in a complete life-cycle test

Genotoxicity may be detected in surface waters by means of various genotoxicity assays. In order to enable an ecotoxicological assessment of the consequences of such genotoxic potential for fish populations, a complete life-cycle test with zebrafish ( Danio rerio) and the model genotoxicant 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (NQO) was conducted. Zebrafish (f 1) were continuously exposed to NQO (i.e. 0.1, 0.3, 1.1, 2.9, and 14.6 μg/l, respectively) from fertilised eggs until sexual maturity. In addition to reproduction studies in the f 1-generation, f 2-fish were exposed to NQO during the first 6 weeks of development. Up to 2.9 μg/l NQO, fish did not display differences in survival and growth ( P