Use of biochemical markers to quantify the toxicological effects of metals on the fish Sciades herzbergii: potential use to assess the environmental status of Amazon estuaries.

Use of biochemical markers to quantify the toxicological effects of metals on the fish Sciades herzbergii: potential use to assess the environmental status of Amazon estuaries. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2020 May 30;: Authors: Nunes B, Paixão L, Nunes Z, Amado L, Ferreira MA, Rocha R Abstract Enzymatic biomarkers, especially oxidative-stress enzymes, are useful for assessing the status of aquatic environments. The present study used biochemical markers determined in nervous, gill, and liver tissues of Sciades herzbergii, concomitantly with analyses of trace metals in the tissues and bottom sediment, to evaluate environmental quality in Amazon estuaries. The study was conducted from March 2014 to February 2016 in two areas: Caeté estuary in Bragança, state of Pará, which is relatively unimpacted; and São Marcos Bay, next to a harbor in São Luís, state of Maranhão. In the laboratory, the fish were weighed (g) and measured (cm). Fragments of the gills, the brain, and the liver were biochemically analyzed, and the metal contents in the brain, the liver, and the muscle tissues were determined. Turbidity was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in São Marcos than in Bragança. Specimens of S. herzbergii were smaller in São Marcos, and aluminum, iron, nickel, copper, cadmium, and mercury levels were higher in bottom sediment (p < 0.05) collected at this location. Fish from São Marcos contained significantly higher (p < 0.05)...
Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research International - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int Source Type: research