Editorial Biomarkers of Environmental...
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Editorial Biomarkers of Environmental Pollutants Anilava Kaviraj, 1 Erhan Unlu, 2 Abhik Gupta, 3 and Ahmed El Nemr 4 1 Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal 741235, India 2 Department of Biology, University of Dicle, 21280 Diyarbakir, Turkey 3 School of Environmental Sciences, Assam University, Silchar 788011, India 4 Marine Pollution Department, National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Kayet Bey, Elanfoushy, Alexandria 21556, Egypt Correspondence should be addressed to Anilava Kaviraj; [email protected] Received 7 September 2014; Accepted 7 September 2014; Published 22 December 2014 Copyright © 2014 Anilava Kaviraj et al. is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ousands of pollutants enter daily into environment and exert various kinds of stress on organisms and ecosystems. Risk assessment of these pollutants to organisms and ecosys- tems is challenging because of diversities in chemical nature and mode of toxicity of the pollutants as well as variation in sensitivities of the organisms exposed to the pollutants. Even low, relatively innocuous concentrations of pollutants oſten produce deleterious effects on organisms, which are difficult to be predicted, because measurable effects are expressed only aſter prolonged exposure. But it may be too late to take remedial actions or steps to reduce risk when these incipient effects are expressed. erefore, it is necessary to develop early warning signals or biomarkers that convincingly reflect adverse biological responses towards anthropogenic environ- mental toxins even at minute concentrations [1]. A biomarker is defined as “a change in biological response, ranging from molecular through cellular and physiological responses to behavioral changes, which can be related to exposure to or toxic effects of environmental chemicals” [2]. Recent developments in molecular biology and biotechnology and inventions of sophisticated instruments have led to the development of novel, more sensitive validated biomarkers of exposure, effect, and susceptibility to the adverse effects of terrestrial and aquatic pollutants [3]. Validity of these biomarkers has been tested in several laboratory and field studies [1]. In addition, systematic use of multiple biomarkers has been found as most useful in the assessment of pollutants’ effects [4]. is special issue on biomarkers of environmental pollu- tants contains ten papers, which discussed some recent appli- cations of biomarkers in terrestrial and aquatic environment. A few papers deal with a single sensitive biomarker, while others deal with combinations of selected biomarkers. e papers have been categorized under three main groups. Biomarkers of Susceptibility/Oxidative Biomarkers. Two papers have been published in this category. One paper deals with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is widely present in the environment. Oxidative stress induced by PFOA on mice was evaluated by malondialdehyde (MDA) formation and hydrogen peroxide generation, which were considered as reliable biomarkers of anthropogenic stresses on mice. e second paper in this category also deals with MDA. Elevation in MDA associated with depletion in antioxidant enzymes activities in the tissues was measured in liver and kidney of female rats exposed to lead acetate. e authors observed that Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid provided a protection against lead acetate toxicity in rats. Biomarkers of Exposure. Four papers have been published in this category. In one paper the authors established that deposition of mercury in hair served as an excellent biomarker of exposure of human population to mercury. In another paper differences in whole blood versus tibia lead concentrations over time in growing rats were evaluated prenatally and higher amount of lead found in the bone of older animals reinforced the importance of using bone lead as an exposure biomarker. In the third paper it was established that coelomic fluid instead of whole earthworm could be used to identify ecologically relevant end points. Induction of metallothionein in the coelomic fluid of earthworms served as sensitive biomarkers of heavy metal pollution in soil. Hindawi Publishing Corporation BioMed Research International Volume 2014, Article ID 806598, 2 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/806598
Transcript of Editorial Biomarkers of Environmental...
EditorialBiomarkers of Environmental Pollutants
Anilava Kaviraj,1 Erhan Unlu,2 Abhik Gupta,3 and Ahmed El Nemr4
1Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal 741235, India2Department of Biology, University of Dicle, 21280 Diyarbakir, Turkey3School of Environmental Sciences, Assam University, Silchar 788011, India4Marine Pollution Department, National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Kayet Bey, Elanfoushy, Alexandria 21556, Egypt
Correspondence should be addressed to Anilava Kaviraj; [email protected]
Received 7 September 2014; Accepted 7 September 2014; Published 22 December 2014
Copyright © 2014 Anilava Kaviraj et al.This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Thousands of pollutants enter daily into environment andexert various kinds of stress on organisms and ecosystems.Risk assessment of these pollutants to organisms and ecosys-tems is challenging because of diversities in chemical natureand mode of toxicity of the pollutants as well as variation insensitivities of the organisms exposed to the pollutants. Evenlow, relatively innocuous concentrations of pollutants oftenproduce deleterious effects on organisms, which are difficultto be predicted, because measurable effects are expressedonly after prolonged exposure. But it may be too late to takeremedial actions or steps to reduce risk when these incipienteffects are expressed. Therefore, it is necessary to developearly warning signals or biomarkers that convincingly reflectadverse biological responses towards anthropogenic environ-mental toxins even atminute concentrations [1]. A biomarkeris defined as “a change in biological response, ranging frommolecular through cellular and physiological responses tobehavioral changes, which can be related to exposure toor toxic effects of environmental chemicals” [2]. Recentdevelopments in molecular biology and biotechnology andinventions of sophisticated instruments have led to thedevelopment of novel, more sensitive validated biomarkersof exposure, effect, and susceptibility to the adverse effectsof terrestrial and aquatic pollutants [3]. Validity of thesebiomarkers has been tested in several laboratory and fieldstudies [1]. In addition, systematic use of multiple biomarkershas been found asmost useful in the assessment of pollutants’effects [4].
This special issue on biomarkers of environmental pollu-tants contains ten papers, which discussed some recent appli-cations of biomarkers in terrestrial and aquatic environment.
A few papers deal with a single sensitive biomarker, whileothers deal with combinations of selected biomarkers. Thepapers have been categorized under three main groups.
Biomarkers of Susceptibility/Oxidative Biomarkers. Twopapers have been published in this category. One paper dealswith perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is widely presentin the environment. Oxidative stress induced by PFOA onmice was evaluated by malondialdehyde (MDA) formationand hydrogen peroxide generation, which were consideredas reliable biomarkers of anthropogenic stresses on mice.The second paper in this category also deals with MDA.Elevation in MDA associated with depletion in antioxidantenzymes activities in the tissues was measured in liver andkidney of female rats exposed to lead acetate. The authorsobserved that Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid provideda protection against lead acetate toxicity in rats.
Biomarkers of Exposure. Four papers have been publishedin this category. In one paper the authors establishedthat deposition of mercury in hair served as an excellentbiomarker of exposure of human population to mercury. Inanother paper differences in whole blood versus tibia leadconcentrations over time in growing rats were evaluatedprenatally and higher amount of lead found in the bone ofolder animals reinforced the importance of using bone lead asan exposure biomarker. In the third paper it was establishedthat coelomic fluid instead of whole earthworm could beused to identify ecologically relevant end points. Induction ofmetallothionein in the coelomic fluid of earthworms servedas sensitive biomarkers of heavy metal pollution in soil.
Hindawi Publishing CorporationBioMed Research InternationalVolume 2014, Article ID 806598, 2 pageshttp://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/806598
2 BioMed Research International
The fourth paper discussed application of multiple biomark-ers to assess risk of corals. Several biomarkers enzymesinvolved in melanin synthesis pathway (phenoloxidase (PO)and peroxidases (POD)) and free radical scavenging enzymes(super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT)) and glu-tathione peroxidase (Gpx) were determined in selected scle-ractinian corals to evaluate stress induced by coral pathogenand to predict health and future existence of corals.
Biomarkers of DNADamage.Two papers have been publishedin this category. One deals with effects of contaminantson DNA damages of Zebra Mussels Dreissena polymorphaevaluated by Comet assay and micronucleus test (MNT) andanother onDNAdamage and telomerase activity in exfoliatedurinary cells of human workers of rubber tire industryevaluated by Comet assay and quantitative telomerase repeatamplification protocol (TRAP) and fluorescence in situhybridization (FISH) assay.MNTappeared as better tool thanComet assay in Zebra mussel while TRAP, Comet, and FISHassays worked well as early biomarkers of procarcinogeniceffects on rubber factory workers.
Reviews on Biomarkers. Two review papers have been pub-lished. One review paper discussed variations in the expres-sion levels of heat shock protein (HSP) under a variety oftoxic conditions. The paper discussed current knowledge onexpression of HSPs and concluded that HSP was unreliableas biomarker due to synergistic effects of toxicants andother environmental factors. Another reviewpaper dealswithbiomarkers of type-II synthetic pyrethroid pesticides. Appli-cations of hematological, enzymatic, cytological, genetic,omic, and other types of biomarkers to evaluate toxicity of themajor type-II pyrethroid pesticides in freshwater fish specieshave been documented. The papers discussed the presentstatus of researches on type-II pyrethroids and the possiblefuture directions.
It is concluded that till today oxidative biomarkers are themost frequently used category of biomarkers to assess adverseeffects of a wide variety of pollutants. In the quest to developmore specific biomarkers researchers are concentrating onemerging areas with metabolomics and proteomics formingthe frontier area of biomarker research. These trends arebeing facilitated by the development of increasingly preciseand sensitive instrumentation in recent years.
Anilava KavirajErhan UnluAbhik Gupta
Ahmed El Nemr
References
[1] R. van der, J. Oost, and N. P. E. Vermeulen, “Fish bioaccu-mulation and biomarkers in environmental risk assessment: areview,” Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, vol. 13,no. 2, pp. 57–149, 2003.
[2] D. W. Peakall and C. H. Walker, “The role of biomarkers inenvironmental assessment (3),” Ecotoxicology, vol. 3, no. 3, pp.173–179, 1994.
[3] T. S. Galloway, “Biomarkers in environmental and humanhealth risk assessment,” Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 53, no.10–12, pp. 606–613, 2006.
[4] C. Tsangaris, K. Kormas, E. Strogyloudi et al., “Multiplebiomarkers of pollution effects in caged mussels on the Greekcoastline,” Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C:Toxicology & Pharmacology, vol. 151, no. 3, pp. 369–378, 2010.
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