CHAPTER 10
Biomarkers in the Teleost Fish Dip/odus puntazzo:
a Study on Animals from an Unpolluted Environment
(Brackish Water Pond Acquatina-Lecce, Italy)
M.E. Giordano l , M.G. Lionetto 1 ) S. V'Ilella 2 , and T. Schettino l
ABSTRACT
In the present work metallothioneins, EROD and acetylcholinesterase, biomarkers specific for
different classes of pollutants (heavy metals, organic pollutants and organophosphate and carbamate pesticides respectively) were studied in the teleost fish, Dip/odus puntazzo, an important species for aquaculture and fishery in the juvenile stage held in the brackish water pond of
Acquatina (Leece - Italy).
The EROD activity was determined on liver by using the method recommended by UNEP
(1997), acetylcholinesterase activity was measured on muscle by the Ellman's method {1961},
while metallothioneins were measured on liver, intestine, gills and kidney by using the method
introduced by Viarengo et al. (1997) on mussels. This last method, slightly modified to be applied
to the fish tissue samples,allows us to clearly detect a significant increase of the metallothionein
content in the liver, intestine, gills and kidney of Diplodus puntazzo exposed to sublethal concentrations of cadmium (220 }-1g/l for a week).
Chemical analysis excluded the presence of heavy metals and pesticides either in the
Acquatina pond (in water and sediments) or in the tissues of the fish. This allowed us to attribute
the monthly variations found in the biomarkers to physiological and pollutant independent
variations. We studied the relation between each of the three biomarkers and the water temperature and somatic indices (body wet weight and body length) with the aim to provide basal
information for a correct evaluation of the status of health of fish in coastal sea areas exposed to
a higher anthropic impact and in areas used for aquaculture.
Introduction
"A biomarker is a xenobiotically induced variation in cellular or biochemical components or
process structures or functions that is measurable in a biological system or sample" (NRC
1987). Biomarkers can provide sensitive and specific measure of the exposure of living organisms
to xenobiotics, using samples obtained from the
field. No single biomarker can provide all the
information necessary to evaluate exposure or its
significance. but the response of one biomarker
can provide information that improves interpretation of the others. Therefore, the integrated use
of several biomarkers, each specific for a different class of pollutant, is very useful in marine
biomonitoring programmes for evaluating the
impact of environmental pollutants on marine
organisms and for earlier safeguard actions. It
must be taken into account that the responses of
biomarkers can be influenced by natural factors
such as age, seasonal variations, sexual cycle etc,
which must be considered for an accurate identification of responses induced by toxic chemicals.
In the present work we studied natural
variations in three different biomarkers, metallothioneins (Mt), etoxiresorufin-o-deethylase
(EROD) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), specific for different classes of pollutants, in the
teleost fish Diplodus puntazzo. The fish species
chosen is easily available, relatively abundant
and widely distributed along the Apulian coasts;
it is very important for aquaculture and fishery,
but to date not studied in the field of biomark1 Laboratorio eli Fisiologia Generale e Ambientale e 1 Laboratorio di Fisiologia Comparata, Dipartimento di Biologia, Universita
di Leece, 73100 Leece, Italy
F.M. Faranda, L. Guglielmo, G. Spezie (eds)
Mediterranean Ecosystems: Structures and Processes
@ Spriugel'-Verlag Italia 2001
Biomarkers in the Teleost Fish Dip/odus puntazzo:
a Study on Animals from an Unpolluted Environment
(Brackish Water Pond Acquatina-Lecce, Italy)
M.E. Giordano l , M.G. Lionetto 1 ) S. V'Ilella 2 , and T. Schettino l
ABSTRACT
In the present work metallothioneins, EROD and acetylcholinesterase, biomarkers specific for
different classes of pollutants (heavy metals, organic pollutants and organophosphate and carbamate pesticides respectively) were studied in the teleost fish, Dip/odus puntazzo, an important species for aquaculture and fishery in the juvenile stage held in the brackish water pond of
Acquatina (Leece - Italy).
The EROD activity was determined on liver by using the method recommended by UNEP
(1997), acetylcholinesterase activity was measured on muscle by the Ellman's method {1961},
while metallothioneins were measured on liver, intestine, gills and kidney by using the method
introduced by Viarengo et al. (1997) on mussels. This last method, slightly modified to be applied
to the fish tissue samples,allows us to clearly detect a significant increase of the metallothionein
content in the liver, intestine, gills and kidney of Diplodus puntazzo exposed to sublethal concentrations of cadmium (220 }-1g/l for a week).
Chemical analysis excluded the presence of heavy metals and pesticides either in the
Acquatina pond (in water and sediments) or in the tissues of the fish. This allowed us to attribute
the monthly variations found in the biomarkers to physiological and pollutant independent
variations. We studied the relation between each of the three biomarkers and the water temperature and somatic indices (body wet weight and body length) with the aim to provide basal
information for a correct evaluation of the status of health of fish in coastal sea areas exposed to
a higher anthropic impact and in areas used for aquaculture.
Introduction
"A biomarker is a xenobiotically induced variation in cellular or biochemical components or
process structures or functions that is measurable in a biological system or sample" (NRC
1987). Biomarkers can provide sensitive and specific measure of the exposure of living organisms
to xenobiotics, using samples obtained from the
field. No single biomarker can provide all the
information necessary to evaluate exposure or its
significance. but the response of one biomarker
can provide information that improves interpretation of the others. Therefore, the integrated use
of several biomarkers, each specific for a different class of pollutant, is very useful in marine
biomonitoring programmes for evaluating the
impact of environmental pollutants on marine
organisms and for earlier safeguard actions. It
must be taken into account that the responses of
biomarkers can be influenced by natural factors
such as age, seasonal variations, sexual cycle etc,
which must be considered for an accurate identification of responses induced by toxic chemicals.
In the present work we studied natural
variations in three different biomarkers, metallothioneins (Mt), etoxiresorufin-o-deethylase
(EROD) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), specific for different classes of pollutants, in the
teleost fish Diplodus puntazzo. The fish species
chosen is easily available, relatively abundant
and widely distributed along the Apulian coasts;
it is very important for aquaculture and fishery,
but to date not studied in the field of biomark1 Laboratorio eli Fisiologia Generale e Ambientale e 1 Laboratorio di Fisiologia Comparata, Dipartimento di Biologia, Universita
di Leece, 73100 Leece, Italy
F.M. Faranda, L. Guglielmo, G. Spezie (eds)
Mediterranean Ecosystems: Structures and Processes
@ Spriugel'-Verlag Italia 2001