Integrated use of antioxidant enzymes and oxidative damage in two fish species to assess pollution in man-made hydroelectric reservoirs

This study investigated the relationship between contaminant body burden and the oxidative stress status of the gills and livers of two wild fish species in the Furnas Hydroelectric Power Station (HPS) reservoir (Minas Gerais, Brazil). Gills and livers presented similar pathways of metals and organochlorine bioaccumulation. During June, organochlorines were associated with lipid peroxidation (LPO), indicating oxidative stress due to the inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. in the most polluted areas, metal concentrations in the liver were associated with metallothionein. During December, contaminants in the gills and liver were associated with catalase activity and LPO. Aldrin/dieldrin was the contaminant most associated with oxidative damage in the livers of both species. This integrated approach shed light on the relationship between adverse biological effects and bioaccumulation of contaminants inputted by intensive agricultural practices and proved to be a suitable tool for assessing the environmental quality of man-made reservoirs. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.P&D ANEEL PROGRAM of the Furnas Centrais Eletricas S.A.FURNAS Centrais Eletricas S.A.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Dept Physiol Sci, BR-13565905 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biosci, BR-11030400 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Santa Cecilia, Ecotoxicol Dept, BR-11045907 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biosci, BR-11030400 São Paulo, BrazilP&D ANEEL PROGRAM of the Furnas Centrais Eletricas S.A.: 0394-097-2003Web of Scienc