Partial purification and enzymatic characterization of acetylcholinesterase from the intertidal marine copepod Tigriopus brevicornis

International audienc

Acetylcholinesterase activity in copepods (Tigriopus brevicornis) from the Vilaine River estuary, France, as a biomarker of neurotoxic contaminants

International audienc

Mortality and LC50Values for Several Stages of the Marine CopepodTigriopus brevicornis(Müller) Exposed to the Metals Arsenic and Cadmium and the Pesticides Atrazine, Carbofuran, Dichlorvos, and Malathion

International audienc

The dragonet Callionymus lyra, a target species used for evaluation of biological effects of chemical contaminants on French coasts

An oceanographic cruise in 1991 along the English Channel and Atlantic coasts of France indicated the value of dragonet Callionymus lyra Linnaeus, 1758 as a target species for monitoring biological effects. Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase measurements in this species provided a first assessment of the effects of hydrocarbons (PCB, PAH, dioxins) on the marine environment. The specific behavior of dragonet was defined by biochemical characterization. Biological data were obtained during 3 additional oceanographic cruises to study changes in the abundance and distribution of the species in the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay. This first assessment, carried out in the context of the National Observation Network, indicated that pollutants do not have important chronic effects on marine organisms collected along the Atlantic coasts except at a few heavily contaminated sites

Seasonal variations of a battery of biomarkers and physiological indices for the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis transplanted into the northwest Mediterranean Sea

International audienceSeasonal variations of six mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) biomarkers at two sites in the Mediterranean Sea were compared with physiological indices (condition, growth and gonad maturation), environmental parameters (temperature, salinity and turbidity), and chemical contamination levels. The basal levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), DNA adducts, benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase (BPH), heat-shock proteins (HSP70), metallothioneins (MT) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) were estimated as early warning signals in caged mussels sampled at Carteau (native site) and La Fourcade (transplantation site) over a 2-year period. The Carteau and La Fourcade mussels have specific chemical contamination profiles but a similar range of values. For example, both are highly contaminated by heavy metals (201 and 258.4 mg kg−1 dw, respectively) and considered as moderately impacted for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, contamination levels at Carteau are twice as high for PAHs (101.5 mg g−1 dw) and PCBs (90.2 mg g−1 dw) than La Fourcade. The seasonal contamination trend at Carteau showed six-fold higher levels of pyrolytic pollutants in winter. Although few tissue lesions were detected in individuals studied at either site, greater parasitic infestation was observed at Carteau. The results of findings from the two Mediterranean pilot studies support the adaptability of transplanted mussels to be used as biomarkers and to establish physiological endpoints for chemical contaminant exposure

Synthèse du projet BEEST

Projet BEEST : vers une approche multicritère du Bon Etat écologique des grands ESTuaires

Des organismes sous stress

An ecologic epidemiological approach, used to assess stress of chemical contaminants in the Seine estuary, concerned three aspects : sources, exposure and effects. The presence of toxic substances in sediment and the diet of organisms was considered to be a source of stress. The state of stress was assessed by measuring exposure indicators in the sebra mussel in the flounder. Diversity of fish species and effect indicators in flounder was studied in order to detect effects of chronic exposures. This ecologic epidemiological approach, applied for the first time in a french estuary, enabled us to identify sensitive areas of exposure.Une approche d'épidémiologie écologique a été appliquée pour évaluer l'effet de stress des contaminants chimiques dans l'estuaire de la Seine. Cette approche comprend trois étapes clés visant à relier les sources, l'exposition et les effets. Des molécules toxiques dans le sédiment ainsi que dans la chaîne alimentaire des organismes ont été estimées comme source de stress. L'état de stress a été évalué par la mesure d'indicateurs d'exposition chez la dreissène et chez le flet. La diversité des espèces de poisson et des indicateurs d'effets chez les flets ont été étudiés pour détecter des effets d'expositions chroniques. Cette approche d'épidémiologie écologique a permis d'identifier des zones d'exposition sensibles

Synthèse du projet BEEST

Projet BEEST : vers une approche multicritère du Bon Etat écologique des grands ESTuaires