Integrated biomarker responses as environmental status descriptors of a coastal zone (São Paulo, Brazil).

São Paulo state (Brazil) has one of the most overpopulated coastal zones in South America, where previous studies have already detected sediment and water contamination. However, biological-based monitoring considering signals of xenobiotic exposure and effects are scarce. The present study employed a battery of biomarkers under field conditions to assess the environmental quality of this coastal zone.

Integrated assessment of multilevel biomarker responses and chemical analysis in mussels from São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of contaminants in the mussel Perna perna from São Sebastião Channel, São Paulo, Brazil, and to evaluate the effects of these contaminants on these organisms at biochemical (catalase [CAT], glutathione-S-transferase [GST], and cholinesterase [ChE]), cellular (neutral red retention time [NRRT] assay), and physiological (cardiac monitoring) levels. Two sampling surveys were performed (winter of 2001 and summer of 2002) at six stations along the channel: Cigarras, station 1; Iate Clube de Ilhabela, station 2; Oil Terminal, station 3; Toque Toque, station 4; Ponta da Sela, station 5 (reference station); and Taubaté, station 6. Differences in CAT activity were observed between mussels from stations 3 and 5 during the winter, but no differences were detected in the summer.