Institution: | aInstitut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain bCIMAR/CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 177, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal cICBAS – Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Largo Professor Abel Salazar, 2, 4099-003 Porto, Portugal |
Abstract: | This study is part of a project aiming to validate the use of the intertidal shanny Lipophorys pholis as a sentinel species in pollution monitoring in NW European marine ecosystems. To this end, a characterisation of acethylcholin (AChE), butyrylcholin (BChE) and propionylcholin (PrChE) esterases in L. pholis muscle was performed and the results indicated that AChE was predominant. Furthermore, the use of eserine sulphate and BW284c51 (0.64–800 μM), and iso-OMPA (0.08–16 mM), confirmed the measurement of true cholinesterases (ChEs) as well as the presence of pseudocholinesterases. The field application of these markers to L. pholis, sampled in seven locations along the Portuguese coast, revealed that fish were likely to be affected by neurotoxic compounds. This was indicated by the significant depletion of AChE (p < 0.05) in animals collected at urban and industrialised sites, compared with those from reference locations. The inclusion of a marker of effect, measured as lipid peroxidation levels in muscle tissue, also revealed the existence of site differences. Overall, the study further validates the utility of L. pholis in pollution monitoring studies. |