In the aquatic environment, metals are present as mixtures, therefore studies on mixture toxicity are crucial to thoroughly understand their toxic effects on aquatic organisms. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were used to assess the effects of short-term Cu(II) and Cd(II) mixtures, using a fixed concentration of one of the metals, representing 25 % of its individual 96h-LC₅₀ (concentration lethal for 50 % of the population) combined with a variable concentration of the other metal corresponding to 10, 25 or 50 % of its 96h-LC₅₀, and vice versa. Our results showed a fast Cu and Cd bioaccumulation, with the percentage of increase in the order gill > liver > carcass. An inhibitory effect of Cu on Cd uptake was observed; higher Cu concentrations at fixed Cd levels resulted in a decreased accumulation of Cd. The presence of the two metal ions resulted in losses of total Na, K and Ca. Fish tried to compensate for the Na loss through the induction of the genes coding for Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase and H⁺-ATPase. Additionally, a counterintuitive induction of the gene encoding the high affinity copper transporter (CTR1) occurred, while a downregulation was expected to prevent further metal ion uptake. An induction of defensive mechanisms, both metal ion binding protein and anti-oxidant defences, was observed. Despite the metal accumulation and electrolyte loss, the low mortality suggest that common carp is able to cope with these metal levels, at least during a one-week exposure.

在水生环境中，金属以混合物形式存在，因此对混合物毒性的研究对于彻底了解其对水生生物的毒性至关重要。鲤鱼（Cyprinus carpio）被用于评估短期Cu（II）和Cd（II）混合物的影响，使用一种金属的固定浓度，代表其单独96h-LC _50的25％（致死浓度（占总人口的50％），并结合可变浓度的其他金属，对应于其96h-LC _50的10％，25％或50％，反之亦然。我们的结果表明，铜和镉的生物富集迅速，g，肝脏，car体的顺序增加。观察到Cu对Cd的吸收具有抑制作用。在固定Cd水平下较高的Cu浓度会导致Cd的积累减少。两种金属离子的存在导致总的Na，K和Ca损失。鱼试图通过诱导编码Na ⁺ / K ⁺ -ATPase和H ⁺的基因来补偿Na的损失-ATP酶。此外，编码高亲和力铜转运蛋白（CTR1）的基因发生了反直觉的诱导，而下调有望阻止进一步的金属离子吸收。观察到了防御机制的诱导，包括金属离子结合蛋白和抗氧化剂防御。尽管有金属积累和电解质损失，但低死亡率表明，鲤鱼至少在一周的暴露时间内就能应付这些金属含量。