Metal-Associated Biomarker Responses in Crabs from a Marine Protected Area in Southeastern Brazil

Metals and new approaches for biomonitoring

“…Commonly, biomonitoring of metals is based on the evaluation of tissue bioaccumulation during short or long periods, depending on the life cycle of the organisms (Bordon et al, 2012a(Bordon et al, , 2012b(Bordon et al, , 2016. Some studies have included ecological behaviors and/or biomarkers of effect to corroborate the analytical findings (Araujo et al, 2020;Marinsek et al, 2022). However, long-term biomonitoring programs such as Mussel watch (and those programs that followed) have focused on bioaccumulation.…”

Seasonal Variation of Biochemical Biomarkers in Decapod Crustaces to Assess the Environmental Quality of the Perequê River Mangrove

“…High values of GST activity in aquatic organisms indicate an altered pattern due to exposure to pollutants, however very low values of GST activity or even the non-detection of this enzyme's activity also indicate an altered pattern, as some studies show that the The enzyme system can be damaged by contaminants, causing the enzyme to decrease or inhibit (Carvalho Neta et al 2012; Araújo et al 2020). This can be explained by the fact that the biochemical-enzymatic mechanism is one of the rst levels of biological organization that can be depleted in cases of adverse effects caused by contaminants (Carvalho Neta et al 2019).…”

“…In the laboratory, the organisms were measured and dissected to remove tissues (nerve ganglion, gills and hepatopancreas) for biomarker analysis. These organs were selected based on their functions, as both the gills and hepatopancreas have clearance functions, while the nerve ganglia are suitable for neurotoxicity measurements (Araújo et al 2020). Tissue samples were stored in 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tubes, duly identi ed, homogenized in phosphate buffer and kept frozen in a freezer until analysis.Determination of biomarkers, For the enzymatic activity of Catalase, Glutathione S Transferase and Acetylcholinesterase, the tissues were homogenized in a buffer suitable for each enzymatic activity and analyzed using a spectrophotometer.…”

“…Similar to the result of Pinheiro and Oliveira (2016), as GST in the hepatopancreas of P. brasiliensis promatensis also showed low levels in autumn. Araújo et al (2020) analyzed GST in the hepatopancreas of the crab Callinectes danae, and found that in summer, GST activities in the hepatopancreas were similar for all sampling sites. However, in winter, some differences were observed, where organisms from one location showed lower GST activities and specimens from another location showed higher GST activities compared to the reference area.…”

“…In recent years, the disorderly intensi cation of human activities has threatened the ecological balance and integrity of mangroves, as it favors the pollution of these biosystems, mainly due to chemical contamination, caused by the discharge of domestic or industrial e uents and the leaching of pesticides in agricultural areas ( Araújo et al 2020) These e uents are most often released without adequate treatment, which can promote contamination and/or pollution by metallic elements, organic chemical compounds, and thus expose aquatic biota to contaminants (Silva et al 2018).…”