Biological and biochemical assessment in Phorcus articulatus (Lamarck 1822): contamination and seasonal effect

Integrated Biomarker Response for Environmental Assessment Using the Gastropod Phorcus turbinatus along the Northern and the Northeastern Coasts of Tunisia

“…This could explain, in our case, the low activity of this biomarker in the study monodont observed in summer in comparison with other seasons at all the stations [10]. The assay of this enzyme, in the present work, showed values (1.99 ± 0.69-7.46 ± 3.49 nmol/min/mg of proteins) similar to those estimated by [48] in P. articulatus(between a minimum of 2.35 ± 0.84 nmol/min/mg of proteinsnoted at La Goulette in winter and a maximum of 6.49 ± 4.75 nmol/min/mg of proteinsestimated at Kelibia station in autumn),but lower than those estimated by [29] in the mantle of P. turbinatus taken from the eastern coasts of Algeria (1.2 ± 0.14-21.9 ± 14.84 µMol/mn/mg of proteins). Our estimates were also much lower than those of [40,57,60].…”

“…This correlation seems to justify the catalytic activity noted in the present work which was minimal in summer and maximal in winter. These results cor-roborate those of [48] in P. articulatus species taken from the same station with a CAT activity ranging between 0.82 ± 1.97 nmol/min/mg of proteinsat Sidi Daoued station in summer and 15.46 ± 9.41 nmol/min/mg of proteinsestimated at La Goulette in autumn. Additionally, [3] suggested stimulation of CAT activity in the goby Pomatoschistus microps taken from Portugal during the cold seasons (autumn and winter).…”

Otolith fluctuating asymmetry inBoops boops(Actinopterygii, Sparidae) from two marine stations (Bizerte and Kelibia) in Tunisian waters

“…As previously mentioned in the Bizerte lagoon, the water temperature ranges from 15-16°C, the salinity is 37.5‰ (Kaouèche et al, 2017) and it is contaminated by persistent organic (POPs) and metal pollutants, and nutrients and their concentrations are generally high at the surface of the water during the rainy season, which is characterized by the abundance and quality of food (Zrafi-Nouira et al, 2008;Barhoumi, 2014;Alves Martins et al, 2015;Jamila et al, 2016). However, in the Kelibia lagoon, the water temperature ranged from 12.6 to 22.8°C, the salinity varied from 35.4‰ in winter to 37.5‰ in summer, and it is mostly polluted with biological and biochemical pollutants that showed rates of variation over the seasons of the year (Boulajfene et al, 2019). Indeed, Fablet et al (2009) declared that temperature is probably the indirect factor most affecting otolith growth.…”

“…In this regard, Jawad et al (2011) and Mejri et al (2020) concluded that there is a direct relationship between environmental stress and asymmetry in the morphology of fish species. Indeed, the environmental stress can arise from the pollution of seawater and sediments with heavy metals, organic matter and hydrocarbons (Zrafi-Nouira et al, 2008;Khenfech & Boumaiza, 2011;El Zrelli et al, 2018;Boulajfene et al, 2019). Thus, the status of pollution has become a usual event for the Kelibia population and may be responsible for the asymmetry detected in the Wo.…”

“…In addition, Kaouèche et al (2017) reported that the water temperature ranges from 15-16°C and that the salinity is 37.5‰ in the Bizerte lagoon. However, in the Kelibia lagoon, the water temperature ranged from 12.6-22.8°C, and the salinity varied from 35.4‰ in the winter to 37.5‰ in the summer (Boulajfene et al, 2019).…”