Assessing pollution in marine protected areas: the role of a multi-biomarker and multi-organ approach

Abstract

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are vulnerable to many pressures, including pollution. However, environmental quality monitoring in these areas traditionally relies on only water chemistry and microbiological parameters. The goal of the current study was to investigate the role of a set of biomarkers in different target organs (liver, kidney, and gills) of fish in order to assess the environmental quality of an MPA (MTs, GPx, GST, GSH, DNA damage, LPO, AChE, and condition index). Chemical analyses were also performed on liver and muscle tissues to evaluate metal body burdens, and PAHs were identified in bile. A demersal fish (Cathorops spixii) that is widely consumed by the local population was used as bioindicator species, and the results were integrated using multivariate analysis. The use of the biomarker approach allowed for the identification of both seasonal and spatial variations in pollution sources around the Environmental Protected Area of Cananéia-Iguape-Peruíbe (APA-CIP). Higher metal body burdens associated with biological responses were found in the sites under the influence of urban areas during the dry season, and they were found in the sites under the influence of the Ribeira de Iguape River (RIR) during the rainy season. The liver was found to be more responsive in terms of its antioxidant responses, whereas gills were found to be more responsive to biomarkers of effect. These results show that this set of biomarker analyses in different organs of fish is a useful tool for assessing chemical pollution in an MPA.

The Farther the Better: Effects of Multiple Environmental Variables on Reef Fish Assemblages along a Distance Gradient from River Influences

“…More than the increase of suspended solids, river runoff may be also a source to the introduction of contaminants into marine protected areas (MPAs). The consequences of these contaminants for fish species can be related to fish reproduction, growth, health and other aspects of life cycle [98,99], and their effects on the fish assemblage structure are still not understood. Our data highlight that investments in MPAs isolated from management initiatives toward coastal conservation could not be effective in long-term.…”

Bioavailability of pollutants sets risk of exposure to biota and human population in reservoirs from Iguaçu River (Southern Brazil)

“…The integration of biomarkers in fish and metal detection represents an efficient strategy for evaluation of water quality and risk assessment of human exposure (Carvalho et al 2012;Omar et al 2014;Sakuragui et al 2013;Gusso-Choueri et al 2015). An integrated analysis was performed through FA/PCA in order to improve the environmental diagnosis, since it can show the cases when relevant responses are significantly associated with contaminants present in the reservoirs to show the environmental quality of a site.…”

Efeitos biológicos da contaminação sobre bivalves filtradores de regiões do litoral de São Paulo, com ênfase na Baixada Santista

“…Altas concentrações de metais (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr e As) tem sido registradas nas águas e nos sedimentos de fundo e suspensos e na biota (Catharino et al, 2015;Guimarães & Sígolo, 2008;Gusso-Choueri et al, 2015;Mahiques et al, 2009). O conjunto de respostas observado nas ostras de Santos pode indicar contaminação por compostos orgânicos, principalmente em função da indução da atividade de DBF.…”

“…A estação de primavera-verão (outubro-março) caracteriza-se pela ocorrência de chuvas intensas, com média pluviométrica de cerca de 350 mm/mês, enquanto o período de outonoinverno (abril-setembro) é mais seco, com média pluviométrica de cerca de 200 mm/mês (CETESB, 2017;Sant'anna Neto, 2005). Gusso- Choueri et al (2015) demonstraram diferenças na bioacumulação de metais e nas respostas metabólicas de bagres (C. spixii) coletados em diferentes estações do ano, sendo que as maiores alterações ocorreram durante a estação chuvosa. Essas variações devem ser levadas em consideração em estudos de biomonitoramento, uma vez que podem interferir na interpretação dos efeitos da poluição sobre a biota (Monteiro et al, 2007).…”

“…Apesar disso, a contaminação por estes poluentes persiste até hoje, sendo registradas altas concentrações de metais nas águas, nos sedimentos e na biota, provenientes de fontes antropogênicas (Catharino et al, 2015;Guimarães & Sígolo, 2008;Gusso-Choueri et al, 2015;Mahiques et al, 2009).…”