Obtainment of bactericidal inkjet inks based on Ag-nanocomposites

In this study, ceramic inks were formulated that are able to develop bactericidal properties and are appropriate for application by inkjet printing. These inks contain silver nanocomposites and are applied on to unfired glazed ceramic bodies, yielding single-fired tiles. Silver nanocomposites were obtained from different precursors, which were made to react in order to obtain more stable structures that, in addition to incorporating bactericidal components, were able to reduce their reactivity and dissolution in the glassy matrix during the ceramic tile firing stage, avoiding the ensuing loss of properties. The study also examined how the nature of the base glaze affected the reactivity of the resulting nanocomposites. The base glaze that enabled the bactericidal compounds to remain at the ceramic tile surface was selected as the optimum base glaze for the study

Fishing for litter, accidental catch in bottom trawl nets along the Catalan coast, Northwestern Mediterranean

8 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, supplementary material https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2023.05.021.-- Data availability: Data will be made available on requestThe seafloor of the Mediterranean Sea accumulates marine litter (ML), an area where bottom trawlers operate and can accidentally catch the litter from the seafloor. This study aims to describe and quantify the ML caught by bottom trawlers along the Catalan coast (NW Mediterranean Sea) and estimate the potential of the bottom trawl fleet to extract ML from the area as a Fishing for Litter (FFL) initiative to tackle the ML issue. Marine litter was collected from commercial trawlers and was classified as metal, plastic, rubber, textile, wood, and other waste and weighed (kg) from 305 hauls performed during three years (2019–2021) from 9 different ports at 3 different depths. ML was present in 97 % of the hauls, with plastic being the most abundant material. The composition varied according to zone, port and depth, with the highest densities found in highly urbanized areas (13.75 ± 3.25 kg km−2), which mainly contained plastics (74.3 %). The port of Barcelona had the highest presence of plastics (23.62 ± 6.49 kg km−2), mainly wet wipes. Regarding depth, the continental shelf had the highest density of ML, with 12.24 ± 2.40 kg km−2. The potential ML removal (t year−1) was calculated using fishing effort (hours). It is estimated that the bottom trawlers may potentially remove 237 ± 36 t year−1 of ML in the Catalan coast. FFL initiatives should be part of a multidisciplinary approach to tackle marine litter, which must include prevention, monitoring, and cleaning actionsThis work was supported by the Catalan Institute for Ocean Governance Research (ICATMAR), trawl surveys were financed by European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and the Catalan General Directorate of Marine Policy and Sustainable Fisheries by projects PESCAT (ARP029/18/00003) and CGCAT (ARP140/20/000006)With the institutional support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)Peer reviewe

Explorant la relació entre l'activitat de les carboxilesterases i variables biològiques en condrictis abundants i amenaçats del Mediterrani nord-occidental

Trabajo final presentado por David Nos-Francisco para el Máster en Oceanografía y Gestión del Medio Marino impartido por el Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) y la Universitat de Barcelona (UB), realizado bajo la dirección del Dr. Joan Navarro Bernabé, de la Dra. Montserrat Solé Rovira y del Dr. Claudio Barría Oyarzo del Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC).-- 32 pages, 4 figures, 1 table[EN] In addition to the over exploitation of marine resources and climate change, pollution is one of the factors threatening marine ecosystems worldwide. Carboxilesterases (CbE) are enzymes of the family of α,ß-hydrolase. These enzymes, together with cholinesterases (ChE) are mainly known for their protective mechanism against some pollutants such pesticides, carbamates and pyrethroids toxicity. The aim of the present study was to measure CbE activity (with the substrates αNA and pNPA) and BChE (with the substrate BTC) in the liver of 20 species of chondrichthyes (11 sharks, 8 skates/rays and 1 chimaera). Also, the main biological and ecological factors that could generate variability in the enzymatic activity were determined. The results indicated that BChE activity was below the level of detection, indicating a low presence of this enzyme in the liver of the chondrichthyes. CbE enzymatic activity differed between species and orders. The skate Raja asterias showed the highest activity of CbE with both substrates, differing significantly from sharks and skates/rays. In relation to orders, Rajiformes differed significantly from Carcharhiniformes (with the substrate pNPA) and Chimaeriformes (with the substrate αNA). We did not find any relationship between the trophic level and enzymatic activity. We found significant correlations between enzyme activity and size of individuals, being positive for sharks and negative for rays. In conclusion, this study provides new information on the activity of these enzymes in Chondrichthyans living in the Mediterranean Sea. We suggest that Chondrichthyans could be used as potential biomarkers of pollution because they are key species in ecosystems and highly sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances[CAT] En l’actualitat, juntament amb la sobreexplotació dels recursos marins i el canvi climàtic, l’arribada dels contaminants químics al medi marí és un dels factors que amenaça els ecosistemes marins. Les carboxilesterases (CbE) són enzims de la família de les α,ß-hidrolases. Aquestes proteïnes, juntament amb les colinesterases (ChE), són principalment conegudes pel seu mecanisme antitòxic davant pesticides de tipus organofosfats, carbamats i piretroides. L’objectiu d’aquest estudi va ser mesurar l’activitat de les CbE (amb els substrats pNPA i αNA) i BChE (amb els substrat BTC) en el fetge de 20 espècies de condrictis (11 taurons, 8 rajades i 1 quimera) i descriure i identificar els principals factors biològics i ecològics que generen variabilitat en l’activitat enzimàtica. Els resultats van indicar que les BChE presentaven una activitat per sota el nivell de detecció, indicant una baixa presència d’aquest enzim al fetge. L’activitat enzimàtica de les CbE, va diferir significativament entre espècies i ordres amb els dos substrats utilitzats. D’aquestes espècies, la rajada Raja asterias va ser l’espècie que va presentar una major activitat amb els dos substrats, diferint significativament dels taurons. A mes, a nivell d’ordre, els Rajiformes van diferir significativament dels Carcharhiniformes (amb el substrat pNPA) i dels Chimaeriformes (amb el substrat αNA). No vam trobar relació entre el nivell tròfico la zona d’alimentació (habitat d’on principalment s’alimenten) i l’activitat enzimàtica. Sí que hi vam trobar correlacions significatives entre l’activitat enzimàtica i la mida dels individus, sent la relació positiva per als taurons i negativa per a les rajades. En conclusió, en aquest estudi aportem nova informació sobre l’activitat d’aquests enzims en condrictis, molt escassa en l’actualitat. A més, suggerim que els condrictis poder ser utilitzats com a potencials bioindicadors de contaminació ja que són, en molt casos, espècies clau en els ecosistemes i altament sensibles a les pertorbacions antropogèniquesPeer Reviewe

The potential of carboxylesterase activity in the biomonitoring of marine pollution

Tesi realitzada a l'Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC)[eng] Understanding and monitoring the impacts of pollution on marine ecosystems leads the list of challenges of the United Nations Ocean Decade as crucial steps towards achieving a healthy ocean. The marine environment faces a constant influx of chemical pollutants from land, marine and atmospheric sources, resulting in complex pollutant mixtures that can cause a cascade of responses on marine biota, from biochemical to physiological. Biochemical responses, in particular, can serve as early biomarkers of exposure, susceptibility, or effect. Among them, carboxylesterases (CEs) are enzymes that hydrolyze a variety of substrates, and offer a cost-effective tool for monitoring marine pollution, especially in scenarios involving chemical mixtures. However, the current efforts are limited to few sentinel species mostly found in coastal environments. This Ph.D. thesis aims to broaden the knowledge on the use of CEs as biomarkers as well as to identify alternative sentinel species across different trophic levels and ecological niches in the under-monitored pelagic realm. Biomarker activities, in vitro inhibition tests, biological parameters (e.g., body size, body mass, sex or reproductive season) and environmental factors (e.g., sea temperature, salinity or dissolved oxygen) were considered in combination to unravel the response of CEs to pollutants of environmental concern and their natural variability. Among sentinels, we propose copepods (Paracartia grani and Centropages typicus), small pelagic fish (Sardina pilchardus and Engraulis encrasicolus), large predatory fish (Euthynnus alletteratus, Sarda sarda, Auxis rochei and Thunnus alalunga) and an opportunistic seabird (Larus michahellis). CEs activities and their sensitivity to chemicals of concern and specific inhibitors were assessed, highlighting the inhibitory potential of tetrabromobisphenol A at high levels of the pelagic trophic net. Moreover, the influence of biological and environmental parameters on CEs activities were evaluated in small pelagic fish, large predatory fish and gulls, being age, sex and the reproductive status the main factors modulating CEs activities. Overall, the findings of this Ph.D. thesis contribute to demonstrate how biological and environmental factors affect some biomarkers and particularly CE activity, making them relevant variables to take into account when interpreting biomarker responses. Additionally, we characterized and evidenced the species-specific differences on basal CE activities. Together, our contribution is a step forward towards the establishment of CEs as biomarkers of pollution not only in the marine pelagic environments but also in urban areas with anchovy and yellow-legged gulls as respective sentinels.[cat] La comprensió i el monitoreig dels impactes de la contaminació als ecosistemes marins encapçala la llista de reptes de la Dècada de l'Oceà de les Nacions Unides per aconseguir un oceà saludable. El medi marí s'enfronta a un flux constant de contaminants químics procedents de fonts terrestres, marines i atmosfèriques, que resulten en complexes mescles de contaminants que poden causar en els organismes marins una cascada de respostes, des de bioquímiques fins a fisiològiques. Les respostes bioquímiques, poden servir com a biomarcadors d'exposició, susceptibilitat o efecte. Dins d'aquestes, les carboxilesterases (CEs) són enzims que hidrolitzen una gran varietat de substrats i ofereixen una eina de baix cost per al seguiment de la contaminació marina, especialment en escenaris que impliquen mescles químiques. No obstant, els esforços actuals es limiten a unes poques espècies sentinelles que es troben principalment en entorns costaners. Aquesta tesi té com a objectiu ampliar el coneixement sobre l'ús de les CEs com a biomarcadors i identificar espècies sentinelles alternatives en nivells tròfics i nínxols ecològics menys explorats. Les activitats dels biomarcadors, proves d'inhibició in vitro, paràmetres biològics (com la mida del cos, la massa corporal, el sexe o la temporada reproductiva) i factors ambientals (com la temperatura de mar, la salinitat o l'oxigen dissolt) s’analitzen en conjunt per desxifrar la resposta de les CEs a contaminants d'interès ambiental així com la seva variabilitat natural. Entre les espècies sentinelles proposem els copèpodes (Paracartia grani i Centropages typicus), la sardina i el seitó (Sardina pilchardus i Engraulis encrasicolus), peixos depredadors pelàgics (Euthynnus alletteratus, Sarda sarda, Auxis rochei i Thunnus alalunga) i una au marina (Larus michahellis). Les activitats de les CEs i la seva sensibilitat a contaminants d'interès i inhibidors específics van ser avaluats, destacant el potencial inhibidor del tetrabromobisfenol A en nivells tròfics alts. A més, es va estudiar la influència dels paràmetres biològics i ambientals en l’activitat de les CEs en peixos i gavines, sent l'edat, el sexe i l'estat reproductiu els principals factors que modulen les la seva activitat. En general, els resultats d'aquesta tesi contribueixen a demostrar com els factors biològics i ambientals afecten alguns biomarcadors i, particularment, l'activitat basal de les CEs. En conjunt, la nostra contribució suposa un pas endavant cap a l'establiment de les CEs com a biomarcadors de la contaminació no només en els entorns marins pelàgics sinó també en les àrees urbanes proposant anxoves i gavines com a sentinelles, respectivament.[spa] La comprensión y el monitoreo de los impactos de la contaminación en los ecosistemas marinos encabezan la lista de desafíos de la Década de los Océanos de las Naciones Unidas para lograr un océano saludable. El medio marino se enfrenta a un flujo constante de contaminantes químicos procedentes de fuentes terrestres, marinas y atmosféricas, que resultan en mezclas de contaminantes que pueden causar en los organismos marinos una cascada de respuestas, desde bioquímicas hasta fisiológicas. Las respuestas bioquímicas, en particular, pueden servir como biomarcadores de exposición, susceptibilidad o efecto. Dentro de estas, las carboxilesterasas (CEs) hidrolizan una variedad de sustratos y ofrecen una herramienta económica para el monitoreo, especialmente en escenarios que implican mezclas químicas. Sin embargo, los esfuerzos actuales se limitan a unas pocas especies centinelas que se encuentran principalmente en entornos costeros. Esta tesis tiene como objetivo ampliar el conocimiento sobre el uso de las CEs como biomarcadores e identificar especies centinelas alternativas en distintos niveles tróficos y nichos ecológicos. Las actividades de los biomarcadores, pruebas de inhibición in vitro, parámetros biológicos (como el tamaño, la masa corporal, el sexo o la temporada reproductiva) y factores ambientales (como la temperatura del mar, la salinidad o el oxígeno disuelto) se utilizaron en combinación para descifrar la respuesta de las CEs a la exposición a contaminantes de interés ambiental, así como su variabilidad natural. Entre las especies centinelas proponemos los copépodos (Paracartia grani y Centropages typicus), pequeños pelágicos (Sardina pilchardus y Engraulis encrasicolus), depredadores pelágicos (Euthynnus alletteratus, Sarda sarda, Auxis rochei y Thunnus alalunga) y un ave marina (Larus michahellis). Se evaluaron las actividades de las CEs y su sensibilidad a contaminantes de interés e inhibidores específicos, destacando el potencial inhibidor del tetrabromobisfenol A en niveles tróficos altos. Además, se evaluó la influencia de los parámetros biológicos y ambientales en la actividad de las CEs en peces y gaviotas, siendo la edad, el sexo y el estado reproductivo los principales factores que modulan la actividad de las CEs. En general, los resultados de esta tesis contribuyen a demostrar cómo los factores biológicos y ambientales afectan a la actividad basal de las CEs. En conjunto, nuestra contribución supone un paso adelante hacia el establecimiento de las CEs como biomarcadores de contaminación no solo en los entornos marinos pelágicos sino también en las áreas urbanas con anchoas y gaviotas como centinelas, respectivamente

The potential of carboxylesterase activity in the biomonitoring of marine pollution

[eng] Understanding and monitoring the impacts of pollution on marine ecosystems leads the list of challenges of the United Nations Ocean Decade as crucial steps towards achieving a healthy ocean. The marine environment faces a constant influx of chemical pollutants from land, marine and atmospheric sources, resulting in complex pollutant mixtures that can cause a cascade of responses on marine biota, from biochemical to physiological. Biochemical responses, in particular, can serve as early biomarkers of exposure, susceptibility, or effect. Among them, carboxylesterases (CEs) are enzymes that hydrolyze a variety of substrates, and offer a cost-effective tool for monitoring marine pollution, especially in scenarios involving chemical mixtures. However, the current efforts are limited to few sentinel species mostly found in coastal environments. This Ph.D. thesis aims to broaden the knowledge on the use of CEs as biomarkers as well as to identify alternative sentinel species across different trophic levels and ecological niches in the under-monitored pelagic realm. Biomarker activities, in vitro inhibition tests, biological parameters (e.g., body size, body mass, sex or reproductive season) and environmental factors (e.g., sea temperature, salinity or dissolved oxygen) were considered in combination to unravel the response of CEs to pollutants of environmental concern and their natural variability. Among sentinels, we propose copepods (Paracartia grani and Centropages typicus), small pelagic fish (Sardina pilchardus and Engraulis encrasicolus), large predatory fish (Euthynnus alletteratus, Sarda sarda, Auxis rochei and Thunnus alalunga) and an opportunistic seabird (Larus michahellis). CEs activities and their sensitivity to chemicals of concern and specific inhibitors were assessed, highlighting the inhibitory potential of tetrabromobisphenol A at high levels of the pelagic trophic net. Moreover, the influence of biological and environmental parameters on CEs activities were evaluated in small pelagic fish, large predatory fish and gulls, being age, sex and the reproductive status the main factors modulating CEs activities. Overall, the findings of this Ph.D. thesis contribute to demonstrate how biological and environmental factors affect some biomarkers and particularly CE activity, making them relevant variables to take into account when interpreting biomarker responses. Additionally, we characterized and evidenced the species-specific differences on basal CE activities. Together, our contribution is a step forward towards the establishment of CEs as biomarkers of pollution not only in the marine pelagic environments but also in urban areas with anchovy and yellow-legged gulls as respective sentinels.[cat] La comprensió i el monitoreig dels impactes de la contaminació als ecosistemes marins encapçala la llista de reptes de la Dècada de l'Oceà de les Nacions Unides per aconseguir un oceà saludable. El medi marí s'enfronta a un flux constant de contaminants químics procedents de fonts terrestres, marines i atmosfèriques, que resulten en complexes mescles de contaminants que poden causar en els organismes marins una cascada de respostes, des de bioquímiques fins a fisiològiques. Les respostes bioquímiques, poden servir com a biomarcadors d'exposició, susceptibilitat o efecte. Dins d'aquestes, les carboxilesterases (CEs) són enzims que hidrolitzen una gran varietat de substrats i ofereixen una eina de baix cost per al seguiment de la contaminació marina, especialment en escenaris que impliquen mescles químiques. No obstant, els esforços actuals es limiten a unes poques espècies sentinelles que es troben principalment en entorns costaners. Aquesta tesi té com a objectiu ampliar el coneixement sobre l'ús de les CEs com a biomarcadors i identificar espècies sentinelles alternatives en nivells tròfics i nínxols ecològics menys explorats. Les activitats dels biomarcadors, proves d'inhibició in vitro, paràmetres biològics (com la mida del cos, la massa corporal, el sexe o la temporada reproductiva) i factors ambientals (com la temperatura de mar, la salinitat o l'oxigen dissolt) s’analitzen en conjunt per desxifrar la resposta de les CEs a contaminants d'interès ambiental així com la seva variabilitat natural. Entre les espècies sentinelles proposem els copèpodes (Paracartia grani i Centropages typicus), la sardina i el seitó (Sardina pilchardus i Engraulis encrasicolus), peixos depredadors pelàgics (Euthynnus alletteratus, Sarda sarda, Auxis rochei i Thunnus alalunga) i una au marina (Larus michahellis). Les activitats de les CEs i la seva sensibilitat a contaminants d'interès i inhibidors específics van ser avaluats, destacant el potencial inhibidor del tetrabromobisfenol A en nivells tròfics alts. A més, es va estudiar la influència dels paràmetres biològics i ambientals en l’activitat de les CEs en peixos i gavines, sent l'edat, el sexe i l'estat reproductiu els principals factors que modulen les la seva activitat. En general, els resultats d'aquesta tesi contribueixen a demostrar com els factors biològics i ambientals afecten alguns biomarcadors i, particularment, l'activitat basal de les CEs. En conjunt, la nostra contribució suposa un pas endavant cap a l'establiment de les CEs com a biomarcadors de la contaminació no només en els entorns marins pelàgics sinó també en les àrees urbanes proposant anxoves i gavines com a sentinelles, respectivament.[spa] La comprensión y el monitoreo de los impactos de la contaminación en los ecosistemas marinos encabezan la lista de desafíos de la Década de los Océanos de las Naciones Unidas para lograr un océano saludable. El medio marino se enfrenta a un flujo constante de contaminantes químicos procedentes de fuentes terrestres, marinas y atmosféricas, que resultan en mezclas de contaminantes que pueden causar en los organismos marinos una cascada de respuestas, desde bioquímicas hasta fisiológicas. Las respuestas bioquímicas, en particular, pueden servir como biomarcadores de exposición, susceptibilidad o efecto. Dentro de estas, las carboxilesterasas (CEs) hidrolizan una variedad de sustratos y ofrecen una herramienta económica para el monitoreo, especialmente en escenarios que implican mezclas químicas. Sin embargo, los esfuerzos actuales se limitan a unas pocas especies centinelas que se encuentran principalmente en entornos costeros. Esta tesis tiene como objetivo ampliar el conocimiento sobre el uso de las CEs como biomarcadores e identificar especies centinelas alternativas en distintos niveles tróficos y nichos ecológicos. Las actividades de los biomarcadores, pruebas de inhibición in vitro, parámetros biológicos (como el tamaño, la masa corporal, el sexo o la temporada reproductiva) y factores ambientales (como la temperatura del mar, la salinidad o el oxígeno disuelto) se utilizaron en combinación para descifrar la respuesta de las CEs a la exposición a contaminantes de interés ambiental, así como su variabilidad natural. Entre las especies centinelas proponemos los copépodos (Paracartia grani y Centropages typicus), pequeños pelágicos (Sardina pilchardus y Engraulis encrasicolus), depredadores pelágicos (Euthynnus alletteratus, Sarda sarda, Auxis rochei y Thunnus alalunga) y un ave marina (Larus michahellis). Se evaluaron las actividades de las CEs y su sensibilidad a contaminantes de interés e inhibidores específicos, destacando el potencial inhibidor del tetrabromobisfenol A en niveles tróficos altos. Además, se evaluó la influencia de los parámetros biológicos y ambientales en la actividad de las CEs en peces y gaviotas, siendo la edad, el sexo y el estado reproductivo los principales factores que modulan la actividad de las CEs. En general, los resultados de esta tesis contribuyen a demostrar cómo los factores biológicos y ambientales afectan a la actividad basal de las CEs. En conjunto, nuestra contribución supone un paso adelante hacia el establecimiento de las CEs como biomarcadores de contaminación no solo en los entornos marinos pelágicos sino también en las áreas urbanas con anchoas y gaviotas como centinelas, respectivamente

Comparative study on carboxylesterase activities in four predatory pelagic fishes from the western Mediterranean Sea

31st European Society for Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology (ESCPB), Shifting Biological Landscapes: from molecules to mechanisms, 9-12 September 2018, Porto, PortugalConcern on the presence of pesticides and pharmaceuticals in the marine environment has increased in the last years as well as its threat to the species composing marine ecosystems. The use of biomarkers for the monitoring of marine pollution has been well established in the last decades, but mostly limited to sentinel species inhabiting continental and coastal waters. Carboxylesterases (CEs) are hydrolytic enzymes involved in the detoxification of many man-made chemicals and they specifically respond to certain pesticides. In this study, we analyzed the CE activity in the liver of four predatory pelagic fish species (Euthynnus alletteratus, Auxis rochei, Sarda sarda and Thunnus alalunga) inhabiting the western Mediterranean. Five CE substrates were assayed and the highest activity was reached using the substrate 1-naphthyl butyrate (1NB). This activity expressed in nmol/min/mg protein was for E. alletteratus 167.2 ± 12.3 (mean ± SEM), for A. rochei 275.3 ± 17.1, for S. sarda 103.7 ± 12.0 and for T. alalunga 77.1 ± 13.2. The enzymatic activity showed significant correlations with the body size (body length and body weight) only in E. alletteratus. Enzyme kinetic constants such as Km and Vmax were estimated for CE using all five substrates. CE activity inhibition was tested with the pesticide Dichlorvos ranging between 40 and 95 % of the basal CE activity. This study provides, for the first time, information about CE activity for four large commercial fish species that could be used as biomarkers of pollution in the pelagic environmentPeer Reviewe

Carboxylesterase activities as potential biomarkers of pollution in marine pelagic predators

8 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, supplementary data https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107217Assessment of chemical exposures in the marine environment is frequently undertaken in sedentary organisms inhabiting coastal environments. However, predatory pelagic fish should be considered sentinel species, as they play an important role in the sustainability of the ecosystems due to their high position in trophic webs. In this study, carboxylesterase (CE) activities were analysed in four predatory tuna species of commercial interest along the western Mediterranean Sea: little tunny (Euthynnus alletteratus), Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda), bullet tuna (Auxis rochei) and albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga). CEs are potential biomarkers of chemical exposure, as they are an important family of enzymes involved in the metabolism of xenobiotic and endogenous compounds. CE measures were taken from the liver of these tuna species using five commercial substrates: 4-nitrophenyl acetate (4NPA), 4-nitrophenyl butyrate (4NPB), 1-naphthyl acetate (1NA), 1-naphthyl butyrate (1NB), and 2-naphthyl acetate (2NA). Butyrate substrates (1NB and 4NPB) yielded the highest hydrolysis rates, and were thus the best substrates for these measures. CE activities differed between species. The larger differences were attained with 1NB-CE, with higher activities seen in bullet tuna, followed by little tunny, Atlantic bonito and albacore tuna. Individual size was identified as one of the main factors modulating CE activities, while there was no evidence for a role for trophic level (measured as δ15N). Using little tunny as sentinel, no geographical differences but inter-annual variation in CE activity was observed. The kinetic parameters and in vitro exposure to the pesticide dichlorvos provided complementary information on the sensitivity of tuna CEs to this model pesticide. Our results propose that the little tunny could be considered a potential bioindicator species in the pelagic realmThis study is part of the PhD-thesis of D.N. J.N. was funded by Programa Ramón y Cajal (RYC-2015-1780, Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Spain).-- With the funding support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S), of the Spanish Research Agency (AEI)Peer reviewe

The influence of ecological factors in the modulation of pollution biomarkers of two small pelagic marine fish

10 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, supplementary data https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114717.-- Data availability: Data will be made available on requestBiomarkers are useful tools for the detection of marine pollution, which is poorly monitored in the pelagic environment. In this study, we investigated the role of key biological and environmental factors on three hepatic xenobiotic biomarkers: carboxylesterases (CEs), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT). Additionally, ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and benzyloxy-4-[trifluoromethyl]-coumarin-O-debenzyloxylase (BFCOD) activities were determined for comparative purposes. The pelagic species targeted were the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus). The results revealed sex-dependent CE activities in sardine. CEs and GST activities were significantly affected by reproduction and, in anchovy, CE activities were also influenced by temperature. In vitro incubations revealed that the pesticide dichlorvos caused up to 90 % inhibition of basal CEs activity. This work highlights that the reproductive status, temperature and sex, modulate biomarker responses, and that anchovy would be more suitable pelagic bioindicator due to its higher in vitro sensitivity to dichlorvos and sex-independent biomarker responsesAll samples were collected during the sampling protocols of the project PELWEB (CTM2017-88939-R, Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain), leaded by Marta Coll. Also thanks to the institutional support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S) and CSIC Interdisciplinary Thematic Platform (PTI+) Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy (PTI-SusPlast+)Peer reviewe

Effects of Biological and Environmental Factors on Biomarker Activities of Two Small Pelagic Fish

XXI Seminario Ibérico de Química Marina (SIQUIMAR) - XXI International Iberian Marine Chemistry, VIII International Symposium on Marine Sciences, 6-8 July 2022, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, EspañaBiomarkers have been proved useful tools for monitoring chemical pollution in marine ecosystems. More frequently, biomarkers are measured in benthic organisms inhabiting coastal environments. However, marine pollution can affect areas far from the coast and accumulate through the food web, originating a need to find new indicator species with ecological relevance inhabiting pelagic marine environments. Biological and environmental factors could affect biomarker responses, masking the real effects of pollution. Therefore, it is crucial to unravel how these factors are affecting the biomarker values. In this study, we explored the effects of some important biological and environmental parameters on three hepatic biomarkers of xenobiotic exposure, namely carboxylesterases (CEs), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) in two small pelagic fish, the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus). These two species inhabit pelagic environments, and are key elements in the Mediterranean food web. They were also selected for their different feeding strategies and reproductive periods. Results showed significantly higher enzymatic activities in sardine and these were sex-dependent. Moreover, CEs and GST activities were significantly affected by reproduction in both species. These biomarker activities were also influenced by temperature in anchovy. CEs in vitro incubations with the model pesticide dichlorvos caused up to 90% inhibition of basal activity, and gave complementary information on the differential species sensibility to this pesticide. The additional in vitro incubation with a battery of pesticides and plastic additives revealed significant CEs inhibition. This work has shown that reproduction and sex, as well as temperature variations had a significant effect on biomarker activities, and despite the ecological proximity of both species the influence of these parameters was species-dependentThe sampling was funded by the project PELWEB (RETOS-2017-35 CTM2017-88939-R; Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Proyectos de I+D+I, Spanish Goverment) leaded by Marta CollPeer reviewe