title: Variation of antioxidant enzyme activities of sprat (Sprattus sprattus) larvae and organic contaminant levels in mixed zooplankton from the southern North Sea.
abstract: Sprat (Sprattus sprattus) larvae and mixed zooplankton were collected from sites in the southern North Sea across three transects running north, north-west and west from the Elbe and Weser estuaries (Germany). Sprat larval sub-cellular fractions (13,500 g supernatants) were assayed for the antixoxidant enzymes catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) and superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1), and levels of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), p,p'-DDE and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in the mixed zooplankton (fish larval diet). Higher levels (p < 0.05) of SOD and catalase activities were observed at sites closest to estuaries corresponding to sites with the highest levels (p < 0.05) of total PCBs and p,p'-DDE. Antioxidant enzymes activities decreased in samples collected from sites further from the estuaries across a northern and north-western transect; however this was not observed across a western transect. Larval antioxidant enzyme activities are discussed in relation to potential processes affecting them including plankton contaminant level distributions.
authors.affiliation: NERC Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Devon, UK. ldp@pml.ac.uk
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porte
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Livingstone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000201:enzymology; D009659:North Sea; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015048:Zooplankton
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase