Characterisation of esterases as potential biomarkers of pesticide exposure in the lugworm Arenicola marina (Annelida: Polychaeta)

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• 作者：Marie L. Hannam ; Josephine A. Hagger ; Malcolm B. Jones ; Tamara S. Galloway
• 关键词：Biomarkers ; Cholinesterase ; Arenicola marina ; Organophosphate ; Azamethiphos
• 刊名：Environmental Pollution
• 出版年：2008
• 出版时间：March 2008
• 年：2008
• 卷：152
• 期：2
• 页码：342-350
• 全文大小：393 K

文摘

Here, we identify and characterise cholinesterase (ChE) and carboxylesterase (CbE) activities in the body tissues of the sediment dwelling worm Arenicola marina. Exposure to the organophosphorus pesticide azamethiphos yielded an in vitro IC₅₀ of 5 μg l⁻¹ for propionylcholinesterase (PChE). PChE was significantly inhibited in vivo after a 10 day exposure to 100 μg l⁻¹ azamethiphos, equivalent to the recommended aquatic application rate (ANOVA; F = 2.75, P = 0.033). To determine sensitivity to environmental conditions, A. marina were exposed for 10 days to field collected sediments. PChE activity was significantly lower in worms exposed to sediments from an estuary classified to be at high risk from point source pollution by the UK Environment Agency (ANOVA; F = 15.33, P < 0.001). Whilst causality cannot be directly attributed from these latter exposures, they provide an important illustration of the potential utility of esterase activity as a biomarker of environmental quality in this ecologically relevant sentinel species.