Seahorse (Hippocampus reidi) as a bioindicator of crude oil exposure

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety Vol. 117; pp. 28 - 33
• Main Authors: Delunardo, Frederico Augusto Cariello, Carvalho, Luciano Rodrigues de, Silva, Bruno Ferreira da, Galão, Michel, Val, Adalberto Luís, Chippari-Gomes, Adriana R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01-07-2015
• Subjects: Animals; Biomarkers; Comet Assay; DNA Damage; Erythrocytes - drug effects; Genotoxicity tests; Glutathione S-transferase; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Hippocampus reidi; Micronucleus Tests; Petroleum; Petroleum - toxicity; Petroleum Pollution - analysis; Seahorse; Smegmamorpha; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Biomarkers; Genotoxicity tests; Seahorse; Glutathione S-transferase; Petroleum
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.03.016

This study explored the suitability of the seahorse Hippocampus reidi (Ginsburg, 1933) for assessing biomarkers of genotoxic effects and its use as a sentinel organism to detect the effects of acute exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons. Fish were exposed to three concentrations of crude oil (10, 20 and 30g/kg) for 96h, and the activity of phase II biotransformation enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST) was measured. In addition, we performed genotoxicity assays, such as comet assay, micronucleus (MN) test and nuclear abnormalities (NA) induction, on the erythrocytes of the fish species. Our results revealed that the inhibition of hepatic GST activity in H. reidi was dependent on increasing crude oil concentrations. In contrast, an increase in the damage index (DI) and MN frequency were observed with increased crude oil concentrations. These results indicate that the alkaline comet assay and micronucleus test were suitable and useful in the evaluation of the genotoxicity of crude oil, which could improve determinations of the impact of oil spills on fish populations. In addition, H. reidi is a promising “sentinel organism” to detect the genotoxic impact of petroleum hydrocarbons.
•We assessed glutathione-S-transferases, alkaline comet assay and nuclear abnormalities (NAs) as selected biomarkers of detoxification and genotoxicity processes in Hippocampus reidi.•Seahorses were exposed to three concentrations of crude oil (10; 20 and 30 g/kg) for 96h.•Alkaline comet assay and nuclear abnormalities proved to be adequate and useful biomarkers in evaluating the effects of crude oil exposition.•Hippocampus reidi can be used as an effective bioindicator.