The impact of propranolol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and gemfibrozil on early life stages of marine organisms: effects and risk assessment.

Pharmaceuticals are ubiquitously detected in the marine environment at the ng-μg/L range. Given their biological activity, these compounds are known to induce detrimental effects on biota at relatively low exposure levels; however, whether they affect early life stages of marine species is still unclear. In this study, a set of bioassays was performed to assess the effects of propranolol (PROP), 17-α ethinylestradiol (EE2), and gemfibrozil (GEM) on gamete fertilization and embryonic development of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus), and on the survival of seabream (Sparus aurata) larvae.

Phylogenetic analysis of cnidarian peroxiredoxins and stress-responsive expression in the estuarine sea anemone Nematostella vectensis.

Peroxiredoxins (PRXs) are a family of antioxidant enzymes present in all domains of life. To date, the diversity and function of peroxiredoxins within animals have only been studied in a few model species. Thus, we sought to characterize peroxiredoxin diversity in cnidarians and to gain insight into their function in one cnidarian-the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis.

Effects of novobiocin and methotrexate on the benthic amphipod Ampelisca brevicornis exposed to spiked sediments.

The marine amphipod Ampelisca brevicornis was used as model organism of benthic macrofauna to assess the possible adverse effects of pharmaceuticals bound to sediments. Organisms were exposed to sediment spiked with novobiocin (NOV) and methotrexate (MTX) for 10 days in order to estimate the acute toxicity (lethal effects) produced by the two compounds. The surviving organisms were pooled and analyzed to determine their sublethal responses associated with different phases of metabolism (enzyme activities in phases I and II), oxidative stress (antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation), and genotoxicity (DNA damage in the form of strand breaks).

Ecological relevance of Sentinels' biomarker responses: a multi-level approach.

In response to the need for more sensitive and rapid indicators of environmental quality, sublethal effects on the lowest levels of biological organization have been investigated. The ecological relevance of these responses assumes a prevailing role to assure effectiveness as indicator of ecological status. This study aimed to investigate the linkages between biomarker responses of caged bivalves and descriptive parameters of macrobenthic community structure.

The application of biochemical responses to assess environmental quality of tropical estuaries: field surveys.

A battery of biomarkers of exposure (EROD, DBF, GST and GPx) and effect (lipid peroxidation and DNA damage - strand breaks) were analyzed in gill tissues from caged and native oysters Crassostrea rhizophorae exposed to two tropical estuarine systems in SW Brazil: Santos (S1, S2, S3, S4) and Paranaguá (P1 - control, P2, P3, P4). The exposure lasted 28 days. Native oysters were sampled in the same areas where caged systems were exposed.

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.

The role of biomarkers to assess oil-contaminated sediment quality using toxicity tests with clams and crabs.

A 28-d bioassay was conducted with two invertebrate species with different feeding habits, the clam Ruditapes philippinarum and the shore crab Carcinus maenas. The purpose of the present study was to assess the quality of sediments affected by oil spills in different areas of the Spanish coast. The organisms were exposed to environmental samples of oil-contaminated sediments during four weeks and, after the experiment, a suite of biomarkers of exposure was measured: The phase one detoxification system was assessed by ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity; glutathione-S-transferase (GST) is a phase-two detoxification enzyme but also is implicated in oxidative stress events; glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), and the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay were analyzed to determine the antioxidant activity of the tissues.