Use of Biochemical Markers for the Assessment of Organic Pollutant Contamination of the Vltava river, Czech Republic

Abstract

In this study, selected biochemical markers - cytochrome P450 (CYP 450), ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione (GSH) - were measured in chub (Leuciscus cephalus L.) liver samples obtained from three locations on the Vltava river (Podolí, Podbaba and Vraňany) and from a control location nmicals commonly known as their inducers. These include polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene measured in chub muscle and polyaromatic hydrocarbons measured in bear Vodňany. The levels of selected biomarkers should correlate with the concentration of cheottom sediments obtained from the same locations. The highest EROD activity (median 101.37 pmol min-1 mg-1 protein), GST activity (median 42.82 nmol min-1 mg-1 protein), and GSH concentration (median 8.01 nmol mg-1 protein) were found in fish liver from the Podbaba location. There were no significant differences in CYP P450 level or EROD activity among the different locations. In Podbaba, GST activity (P < 0.01) and GSH concentrations (P < 0.001) were significantly higher than in the control location. The results of these analyses were correlated and a significant correlation was found between biochemical markers and their inducers. The results show that the use of biochemical markers in water quality assessment is a convenient method that can supplement classical chemical monitoring.