This work represents a pilot study for monitoring the potential toxicological risk of commercial relevant marine resources along the South coast of Italy by using biomarkers as complementary tool to chemical analysis. The attention was focused on the industrialized area of Salento peninsula, such as Taranto, that, in spite of the presence of the big industry (oil, metal industry), sustains activities related to the sea resources, such as fishery and mussel-culture. The study was carried out in fish, such as Mullus barbatus and Trachurus mediterraneus, two important fish species for the fishery in this area, and in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis). As control area S. Maria di Leuca, area of naturalistic interest, was chosen. In fish, liver metallothionein levels (specific index of exposure to heavy metals such as Hg, Cd, Cu, Zn) and brain and muscular acetylcholinesterase activity (specific index of exposure to organophosphate and carbamate pesticides) were measured. None of the two fish species showed significant differences in acetylcholinesterase activity and in pesticide trace level between the anthropogenic impact exposed site and the control group. On the other hand, metallothionein hepatic levels in Mullus barbatus were significantly increased in the organisms coming from Taranto with respect to the organisms coming from the control site, but chemical analysis, routinely performed on edible muscle for the evaluation of chemical quality of fish products, did not reveal high heavy metal concentration in the edible muscle of fish from Taranto. Mussels exposed for one month in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, an important mussel farming area, showed increase in the level of catalase activity, an oxidative stress index, increase in the levels of metallothioneins and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity The need to integrate chemical analysis with the study of biological responses to pollutants (biomarkers) in marine organisms is discussed for a better comprehension of the impact of chemical contaminants on the sea and its resources

Biomarker application for the study of chemical contamination risk on marine organisms in the Taranto marine coastal area

LIONETTO, Maria Giulia
Primo
Conceptualization
;
CARICATO, Roberto;GIORDANO, Maria Elena;SCHETTINO, Trifone
2004-01-01

Abstract

This work represents a pilot study for monitoring the potential toxicological risk of commercial relevant marine resources along the South coast of Italy by using biomarkers as complementary tool to chemical analysis. The attention was focused on the industrialized area of Salento peninsula, such as Taranto, that, in spite of the presence of the big industry (oil, metal industry), sustains activities related to the sea resources, such as fishery and mussel-culture. The study was carried out in fish, such as Mullus barbatus and Trachurus mediterraneus, two important fish species for the fishery in this area, and in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis). As control area S. Maria di Leuca, area of naturalistic interest, was chosen. In fish, liver metallothionein levels (specific index of exposure to heavy metals such as Hg, Cd, Cu, Zn) and brain and muscular acetylcholinesterase activity (specific index of exposure to organophosphate and carbamate pesticides) were measured. None of the two fish species showed significant differences in acetylcholinesterase activity and in pesticide trace level between the anthropogenic impact exposed site and the control group. On the other hand, metallothionein hepatic levels in Mullus barbatus were significantly increased in the organisms coming from Taranto with respect to the organisms coming from the control site, but chemical analysis, routinely performed on edible muscle for the evaluation of chemical quality of fish products, did not reveal high heavy metal concentration in the edible muscle of fish from Taranto. Mussels exposed for one month in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, an important mussel farming area, showed increase in the level of catalase activity, an oxidative stress index, increase in the levels of metallothioneins and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity The need to integrate chemical analysis with the study of biological responses to pollutants (biomarkers) in marine organisms is discussed for a better comprehension of the impact of chemical contaminants on the sea and its resources
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11587/103907
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