Effects of diesel oil and environmental quality on the enzymatic activities of a tropical estuarine catfish and implications for contamination assessment

Authors

  • Juliana Nogueira Berenguer Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Conservação (NUPEM/UFRJ)
  • Jorge da Cunha Moraes Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Sócio-Ambiental de Macaé (NUPEM), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
  • Manildo Marcião Oliveira Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia e Microbiologia Ambiental (LEMAM) do Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Fluminense (IFFluminense) campus Cabo Frio/RJ
  • Juliana Montani Raimundo Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Campus Macaé, CEP. 27930-560, Macaé, RJ, Brazil
  • Mauricio Mussi Molisani Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Sócio-Ambiental de Macaé (NUPEM), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5132/eec.2017.01.13

Abstract

The contamination of coastal areas by petroleum and its derivatives is a relevant issue based on large-scale production and consumption. This study presents field and laboratory surveys on the detoxification enzymes on the estuarine/coastal catfish Genidens genidens to understand the enzymatic responses to oil derivatives and environmental conditions. Field catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-tranferase (GST) measurements suggest oxidative stress and acting repair mechanisms in fishes, but were not induced by diesel oil as indicated by laboratory studies. On the other hand, higher ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activities following higher polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in the estuarine waters suggested fish responsiveness to oil contamination, mainly due to the fact that such EROD values were similar to the magnitude measured in fish during a 24-h exposure to diesel oil in the laboratory. However, other environmental estuarine conditions may also act on field EROD activities since PAHs concentrations in the water-soluble fraction of diesel oil (WSFDO) were higher than those measured in estuarine waters.

Downloads

Published

08-12-2017

How to Cite

Berenguer, J. N., Moraes, J. da C., Oliveira, M. M., Raimundo, J. M., & Molisani, M. M. (2017). Effects of diesel oil and environmental quality on the enzymatic activities of a tropical estuarine catfish and implications for contamination assessment. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Contamination, 12(1), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.5132/eec.2017.01.13

Issue

Section

Original Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)