The French National Nature Reserve of

• Main Authors: Helene Roche, Astrid Buet, Francois Ramade
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Protected area; Ecotoxicology; Fish; PAH; Organochlorines; Metabolism; Glycogen; Lipids; Anguilla anguilla
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.561.8088; http://reserve-camargue.org/IMG/pdf/CPB2002.pdf

The Reserve of Biosphere of Camargue wFrench National Nature Reserve of Camargue (NNRC)x is a protected area frequently exposed to natural and anthropogenic environmental alterations. To evaluate potential contamination of fish with lipophilic chemicals—organochlorines (OCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)—a biological monitor-ing survey was carried out. Metabolic reserve levels were evaluated to select appropriate biological indicators able to be significant biomarkers. In addition, the incorporation of xenobiotic molecules in the lipid compartments was investigated. The contents of glycogen, total lipids, proteins and lipidic phosphorus were analyzed in liver and skeletal muscles of three teleostean: the European eel (Anguilla anguilla); the crucian carp (Carassius auratus); and the catfish (Ictalurus melas). The atmospheric origin of the PAH detected in any season in the biomass and the OCs compounds contamination by derive from agricultural treatments are established. In contradiction with some laboratory acute intoxication studies, we observe a positive correlation between tissue concentrations of contaminants and the muscular glycogen amount, a sensitive energy reserve marker. Moreover, it seems likely that the incorporation of these xenobiotics is located preferentially in the membrane structures.