Can Hediste diversicolor (Nereidae, Polychaete) be considered a good candidate in evaluating PAH contamination? A multimarker approach

The aim of this study was to develop a preliminary characterization of the biological responses of Hediste diversicolor to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) under controlled laboratory conditions. In order to test the effects of PAH exposure, a battery of biomarkers was applied to the polychaetes by exposing them to sublethal concentrations of benzoa]pyrene (0.1 and 0.5 mg L⁻¹) for 10 d under laboratory conditions. The battery of biomarkers tested included oxidative stress biomarkers (glutathione content, enzymatic activities of catalase, glutathione S-transferases, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidases), total oxyradical scavenging capacity (TOSC) toward peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals and activity of acyl CoA oxidase (AOX) as a marker of peroxisome proliferation measured in the entire body; lipofuscin and neutral lipid accumulations and levels of Ca²⁺-ATPase activity analyzed in the intestinal epithelium; lysosomal membrane stability and genotoxic effects measured as DNA strand breaks and frequency of micronuclei in coelomocytes. Chemical analyses were also carried out to verify the polychaete’s benzoa]pyrene (Ba]P) bioaccumulation levels after the exposure period. The results obtained indicate that Ba]P caused significant changes in most of the parameters measured in H. diversicolor. Biological responses to the organic compound were particularly significant for the biomarkers measured in the intestinal epithelium and in coelomocytes, emphasizing that these tissues were more affected during our experimental conditions. Considering the key trophic role of this benthic species in estuarine and coastal ecosystems, this study confirmed that H. diversicolor is an appropriate bioindicator of organic contamination.