Copper Induced Lysosomal Membrane Destabilisation in Haemolymph Cells of Mediterranean Green Crab (Carcinus aestuarii, Nardo, 1847) from the Narta Lagoon (Albania)

ABSTRACTDestabilisation of blood cell lysosomes in Mediterranean green crabCarcinus aestuarii was investigated using Neutral Red Retention Assay (NRRA). Crabs collected in Narta Lagoon, Vlora (Albania) during May 2014 were exposed in the laboratory to sub-lethal, environmentally realistic concentrations of copper. Neutral Red Retention Time (NRRT) and glucose concentration in haemolymph of animals were measured. The mean NRRT showed a significant reduction for the animals of the treatment group compared to the control one (from 118.6 ± 28.4 to 36.4 ± 10.48 min, p<0.05), indicating damage of lysosomal membrane. Haemolymph glucose concentration was significantly higher in the treatment group (from 37.8 ± 2.7 to 137.8.4 ± 16.2 mg/dL, p<0.05) than in control group, demonstrating the presence of stress on the animals. These results showed thatC. aestuarii could be used as a successful and reliable bioindicator for evaluating the exposure to contaminants in laboratory conditions. NRRA provides a successful tool for rapid assessment of heavy metal pollution effects on marine biota

Using the Amphipod Hyale Nigra to Assess the Quality of Marine Sediments

Few species are standardized and have been used as test organisms around the world inecotoxicological assays. In the case of sediment assessment, there are only two amphipod species(Tiburonella viscana and Grandidierella bonnieroides) standardized protocols for toxicity test in SouthAtlantic region.In order to evaluate the possibility of using the epibenthic marine amphipod Hyale nigrain toxicity tests, a sensitivity test using spiked sediment method was applied, with cadmium chlorideas a reference toxicant (CdCl2). Tests with environmental samples were performed to validate the testorganisms. The samples were taken from Santos Estuary and Bay in state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Thehistorical toxicity and contamination are mentioned in the literature. The results obtained in the spikedsediment tests showed little variation in the sensitivity of Hyale nigra amphipod with a mean LC50 valueof 5.73 mg.L-1 (1.51 mg.L-1 – 8.75 mg.L-1). In the tests with environmental samples, the results obtainedwere similar to those found in the literature regarding this sampling area. This study demonstrates thepotential of Hyale nigra amphipod as a test organism in toxicity tests, once that the specie is sensitive andits results were similar to those reported in the literature on other species of amphipods that are alreadyused in ecotoxicological studies.</p

Influence of a Brazilian sewage outfall on the toxicity and contamination of adjacent sediments

The submarine sewage outfall of Santos (SSOS) is situated in the Santos Bay (São Paulo, Brazil) and is potentially a significant source of contaminants to the adjacent marine ecosystem. The present study aimed to assess the influence of SSOS on the sediment toxicity and contamination at Santos Bay. At the disposal site, sediments tended to be finer, organically richer and exhibited higher levels of surfactants and metals, sometimes exceeding the Threshold Effect Level values. The SSOS influence was more evident toward the East, where the sediments exhibited higher levels of TOC, total S and metals during the summer 2000 sampling campaign. Sediment toxicity to amphipods was consistently detected in four of the five stations studied. Amphipod survival tended to correlate negatively to Hg, total N and % mud. This work provides evidence that the SSOS discharge affects the quality of sediments from Santos Bay, and that control procedures are warranted. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved