hrvatski

Use of the fish Gambusia affinis for monitoring of fresh water pesticide contamination

Molecular biology methods, applied as biomarkers and biotests, are increasingly used in ecotoxicology for the monitoring of pollution, effect and environmental risk assessment. While pesticides affect biological systems on several levels, all contaminants act by changing the structure and/or functional properties of essential cellular molecules. Therefore sensitive and specific biochemical methods can be used as early warning indicators in helping avoid negative impacts on ecosystems. The cosmopolitan fish Gambusia affinis Baird and Girardi 1853 is an alohtone species in south Istrian ponds. The model xenobiotic Lindan (gama-HCH) is used as an insecticide in both public health and veterinary science. Because of its persistence in the environment it represents a threat for surface fresh waters. Biomarkers of exposure, and the effects of contamination, were examined experimentally by determination of LC50 for the xenobiotic Lindan, by exposing the organisms to sub-lethal doses in their natural environment at five locations where this species lives. In this work we have applied the induction of hepatic cytochrome P450-dependent mixed function oxygenase (MFO), measured as the activity of ethoxyresorfin-O-deethylase (EROD), as a biomarker of exposure with changes in DNA integrity, measured by the Fast Micromethod, as a biomarker of effect. Comparison of experimental results (Lindan exposure and field) with pesticides determined in pond water and sediments showed a positive correlation between the induction of detoxification enzymes, lower DNA integrity and increased Lindan concentrations. Results indicated that the fish G. affinis, as well as the examined biomarkers, are suitable for monitoring of fresh water pesticide contamination, due to both their biological – ecological characteristics and the biomarkers dose- response.

G. affinis; biomonitoring; EROD; DNA integritet; zagađenje pesticidima

nije evidentirano

engleski

Use of the fish Gambusia affinis for monitoring of fresh water pesticide contamination

Molecular biology methods, applied as biomarkers and biotests, are increasingly used in ecotoxicology for the monitoring of pollution, effect and environmental risk assessment. While pesticides affect biological systems on several levels, all contaminants act by changing the structure and/or functional properties of essential cellular molecules. Therefore sensitive and specific biochemical methods can be used as early warning indicators in helping avoid negative impacts on ecosystems. The cosmopolitan fish Gambusia affinis Baird and Girardi 1853 is an alohtone species in south Istrian ponds. The model xenobiotic Lindan (gama-HCH) is used as an insecticide in both public health and veterinary science. Because of its persistence in the environment it represents a threat for surface fresh waters. Biomarkers of exposure, and the effects of contamination, were examined experimentally by determination of LC50 for the xenobiotic Lindan, by exposing the organisms to sub-lethal doses in their natural environment at five locations where this species lives. In this work we have applied the induction of hepatic cytochrome P450-dependent mixed function oxygenase (MFO), measured as the activity of ethoxyresorfin-O-deethylase (EROD), as a biomarker of exposure with changes in DNA integrity, measured by the Fast Micromethod, as a biomarker of effect. Comparison of experimental results (Lindan exposure and field) with pesticides determined in pond water and sediments showed a positive correlation between the induction of detoxification enzymes, lower DNA integrity and increased Lindan concentrations. Results indicated that the fish G. affinis, as well as the examined biomarkers, are suitable for monitoring of fresh water pesticide contamination, due to both their biological – ecological characteristics and the biomarkers dose- response.

G. affinis; biomonitoring; EROD; DNA integrity; pesticide contamination

nije evidentirano