C. Savelli

Biomarker responses at different levels of biological organisation in crabs (Carcinus aestuarii) experimentally exposed to benzo(α)pyrene

The aim of this study was to validate a multi-trial biomarker approach for the evaluation of toxicological risk due to benzo(alpha)pyrene. Carcinus aestuarii, exposed to increasing concentrations of B(alpha)P in the water, was used as the bioindicator organism. A set of biomarkers were tested in order to: identify biological materials for biomarker and residue analysis; determine a group of sensitive techniques for the assessment of PAH contamination; investigate correlation between responses at different levels of biological organisation. The results underlined that BPMO activities in hepatopancreas and gills were a good biomarker of exposure to PAH-type compounds. B esterases activities in hemolymph and porphyrin patterns in excreta could be proposed as a non-destructive approach for evaluating chemical exposure in this species.

Mixed function oxidase induction in Carcinus aestuarii.: Field and experimental studies for the evaluation of toxicological risk due to Mediterranean contaminants

The aim of this study was to test and validate the use of mixed function oxidase (MFO) induction, in the crab Carcinus aestuarii, under experimental and field studies, for the evaluation of toxicological risk due to the main contaminants in the Mediterranean. Two different experiments were performed in the laboratory in order to identify the most suitable tissues for MFO studies in this species and the most suitable and sensitive MFO responses for evaluating chemical stress due to lipophilic contaminants. In order to validate this methodology in the field, two studies were carried out in two polluted Mediterranean lagoons: a transplant experiment in Orbetello Lagoon and an in situ experiment in Venice Lagoon. The following MFO responses were investigated in hepatopancreas and gills of the crabs: ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase (BPH) activities and reductase enzyme activities. The main results can be summarised as follows: midgut-gland and gills were confirmed to be useful for MFO tests; BPH activity in hepatopancreas was the most suitable and sensitive MFO response for evaluating chemical stress due to Mediterranean contaminants in laboratory and field studies; in the Orbetello Lagoon experiment, a statistically significant difference was found between sites subject to different human impact.

Biochemical and genotoxic biomarkers in the Mediterranean crab Carcinus aestuarii experimentally exposed to polychlorobiphenyls, benzopyrene and methyl-mercury

The aim of this study was to test a multi-trial biomarker approach for evaluating toxicological risk due to the main contaminants in the Mediterranean, using the Mediterranean crab Carcinus aestuarii as bioindicator organism. Forty crabs were injected with different doses of the following contaminants: benzopyrene, polychlorobiphenyls and methyl-mercury. Several molecular, biochemical and genotoxic biomarkers were tested in different tissues and excreta. The main conclusions of this preliminary study can be summarized as follows: (1) midgut-gland, haemolymph and excreta seem to be useful for biomarker studies in this species; (2) several biochemical, molecular and genotoxic biomarkers were found suitable for testing in certain tissues; and (3) several biomarkers were found suitable for evaluating chemical stress due to Mediterranean contaminants.