title: Seasonal baseline levels of physiological and biochemical parameters in polar cod (Boreogadus saida): Implications for environmental monitoring.
abstract: Seasonality of biomarker baseline levels were studied in polar cod (Boreogadus saida), caught in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, in April, July, September and December, 2006-2007. Physiological parameters (condition factor, gonado- and hepato-somatic indexes, energy reserves, potential metabolic activity and antifreeze activity) in polar cod were used to interpret the seasonality of potential biomarkers. The highest levels of ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity occurred concomitantly with the highest potential metabolic activity in July due to e.g. intense feeding. During pre-spawning, EROD showed significant inhibition and gender differences. Hence, its potential use in environmental monitoring should imply gender differentiation at least during this period. Glutathione S-transferase and catalase activities were stable from April to September, but changed in December suggesting a link to low biological activity. Knowledge of the biomarker baseline levels and their seasonal trends in polar cod is essential for a trustworthy interpretation of forthcoming toxicity data and environmental monitoring in the Arctic.
authors.affiliation: Akvaplan-niva, Polar Environmental Centre, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway. jn@akvaplan.niva.no
authors.forename: Jasmine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nahrgang
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Camus
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Broms
authors.forename: Jørgen S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: Haakon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hop
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000592:standards; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000592:standards; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D048388:Gadiformes / Q000502:physiology*; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000592:standards; D012015:Reference Standards; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002374:Catalase; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D005982:Glutathione Transferase