Chronic copper exposure and fatty acid composition of the amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus: results from a field study.
Field study allows assessment of long-term effects on fatty acid (FA) composition of organisms under chronic exposure to metals. One expected effect of copper is peroxidation of lipids and essentially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). FA analysis was established for the amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus subjected to different degrees of copper exposure (4-40 microg Cu L(-1)). A previous study in our team showed that this species regulates its body Cu concentration (106-135 mg Cu kg(-1) dry weight). Despite the high capacity of bioaccumulation, the absence of a correlation between copper concentration in D. villosus and water prevents its use as bioindicator of copper pollution. Both sexes from the most polluted site showed the lowest total FA content, but the highest PUFA percent, mainly of the long-chained variety (C20-C22). Mechanisms leading to the prevention of lipid peroxidation in this species were discussed (metallothioneins and intracellular granules) and proposed with support from literature data.
Maazouzi
Chafik
C
Université de Metz, Laboratoire Interactions Ecotoxicologie Biodiversité Ecosystèmes, CNRS UMR 7146, Avenue Général Delestraint, 57070 Metz, France. maazouzi@univ-metz.fr
Masson
Gérard
G
Izquierdo
Maria Soledad
MS
Pihan
Jean-Claude
JC
D033304:Amphipoda / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D012737:Sex Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003300:Copper