BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS IN FERAL ROACH (RUTILUS-RUTILUS) IN RELATION TO THE BIOACCUMULATION OF ORGANIC TRACE POLLUTANTS

The levels of organic trace contaminants, including polyaromatic hydro carbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pe sticides (OCPs), were analyzed in sediments and in roach (Rutilus ruti lus, a common fish in Dutch freshwater) from two Amsterdam lakes with different pollutant levels. Roach muscle tissue levels of PCBs and OCP s reflected those found in the sediments. PAH muscle tissue levels, ho wever, were higher in roach from the less polluted lake. In addition, a suite of biochemical parameters was measured in roach livers in orde r to evaluate their utility as biomarkers of aquatic pollution. None o f the phase I-enzymes (total cytochrome P450 [cyt P450], cytochrome b( 5) [cyt b(5)], cytochrome P450 1A [P450 1A], ethoxyresorufin O-deethyl ase [EROD] and NADPH cytochrome c reductase [RED]) appeared to be indu ced in roach from the polluted site. On the contrary, cyt P450 and cyt b(5) were significantly inhibited in roach from the more polluted lak e. These findings were consistent with the results of measurements on phase II-enzymes. Glutathione S-transferase [GST] activity was signifi cantly inhibited in roach from the polluted site, while no significant changes in the co-factor levels of glutathione [GSH or GSSG] were obs erved. Hepatic DNA adduct levels were the same in roach from the more polluted and the less polluted lake. Accordingly, the hepatic biochemi cal parameters measured in this study cannot be considered reliable in dicators of chemical pollution or contaminant stress in roach from the polluted lake.