title: A multibiomarker approach on the Atlantic tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) in the St. Lawrence Estuary.
abstract: A multibiomarker approach was developed on juvenile Atlantic tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) to evaluate the pertinence of this approach for low-cost screening assessment of the environmental quality of various coastal sites within estuaries. Several biometric indices and biomarkers (ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, metallothionein concentration, and immune responses) were investigated on immature and maturing tomcods (≤ 31 months) collected in four environmentally contrasted sites in the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE). Simultaneous examination of various age classes provides the opportunity to detect short-term responses in sensitive young-of-the-year fish (e.g., EROD induction) and longer-time effects associated with chronic exposure and bioaccumulation (e.g., metallothionein induction). Principal component analysis was helpful to discriminate between responses possibly related to contaminant exposure (EROD, metallothionein) and responses that could be affected by upstream-downstream gradient (immune response, biometric indices). Measurement of a battery of biomarkers in young tomcods at several sites along the shore of the SLE is a low-cost screening investigation useful to identify hot spots requiring further investigation with chemical analysis and additional reference sites.
authors.affiliation: Université Européenne de Bretagne, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, UMR 6539 CNRS/UBO/IRD/Ifremer, Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin LEMAR, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, 29280 Plouzané, France. cel.e@hotmail.fr
authors.forename: Célie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dupuy
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Couillard
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laroche
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nellis
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brousseau
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fournier
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D063366:Estuaries; D005260:Female; D048388:Gadiformes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein; D010587:Phagocytosis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011792:Quebec; D036401:Toxicity Tests, Chronic; D014876:Water Pollution
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008668:Metallothionein; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1