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Contaminant-induced oxidative stress underlies biochemical, molecular and fatty acid profile changes, in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.)
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Scientists fed sea bream (a common farmed fish) a mix of pollutants, including a drug, a flame retardant, and a heavy metal, and found it triggered stress in the fish's liver, damaged fats, and shifted their fatty acid balance toward less healthy types, even after two weeks of "clean" eating afterward. This matters because these same contaminants are common in oceans and fish farms, meaning the fish on your plate could have altered nutritional quality due to pollution exposure, not just food safety risks from the contaminants themselves.
Chemical contaminants such as heavy metals, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and drugs, are constantly found in the marine environment determining the interest of the scientific community for their side effects on animal welfare, food safety and security. Few studies have analyzed the effects of mix of contaminants in fish, in terms of molecular and nutritional composition response, beside it is indispensable to think more and more on effect of contaminants along the food web system. In this study, Sparus aurata specimens were exposed for 15 days, by diet, to a mixture of carbamazepine (Cbz), polybrominated diphenyl ether-47 (PBDE-47) and cadmium chloride (CdCl2), at two doses (0.375 μg g-1 D1; 37.5 μg g-1 D2) (T15). After, fish were fed with a control diet, without contaminants mix, for other 15 days (T30). The study explored the effect on oxidative stress in the liver, analyzing specific molecular markers and effects on quality, by fatty acid profile and lipid peroxidation. Molecular markers involved in ROS scavenging, such as superoxide dismutase (sod), catalase (cat) and glutathione peroxidase (gpx) were evaluated by gene expression; as markers of quality and lipid peroxidation, the fatty acids (FAs) profile and the level of malondyaldeide (MDA) were assessed. Sod and cat genes underwent to up-regulation after 15 days of diet containing contaminants and showed down-regulation after the next 2 weeks of detoxification (T30). At T15, the FAs profile showed an increase of the saturated fatty acids (SFA), and a decrease of the polyunsatured fatty acids (PUFA). The MDA levels increased over time, indicating an ongoing radical damage. These results suggest that the effects of the contaminants can be perceived not only at molecular but also at nutritional level and that the molecular and biochemical markers adopted could be differently used to monitor the health of aquatic organisms in the marine environment.
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Researchers evaluated oxidative stress responses in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) exposed to both virgin and environmentally collected microplastics, comparing the ecotoxicological effects of laboratory-grade particles against real-world contaminated samples to better reflect actual marine exposure conditions.
Long-term exposure to virgin and seawater exposed microplastic enriched-diet causes liver oxidative stress and inflammation in gilthead seabream Sparus aurata, Linnaeus 1758
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Researchers fed gilthead seabream fish a diet containing low-density polyethylene microplastics for 90 days to study long-term effects on liver health. The study found progressive increases in oxidative stress and inflammation markers in the liver, with seawater-exposed microplastics causing more damage than pristine ones, likely due to pollutants absorbed from the ocean. Encouragingly, these harmful effects were reversed after 30 days of feeding the fish a clean diet.
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Scientists created tiny plastic particles from real ocean pollution and exposed fish to them for four days. The plastic particles didn't kill the fish, but they damaged the fish's DNA and caused harmful stress inside their cells. This matters because these same tiny plastics are building up in our oceans and food chain, potentially affecting the seafood we eat.
Effects of pollutants and microplastics ingestion on oxidative stress and monoaminergic activity of seabream brains
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Researchers examined how microplastics and adsorbed pollutants affect gilthead seabream brains over 90 days, finding that pollutant-enriched microplastics caused increased oxidative stress and altered monoaminergic neurotransmitter activity compared to virgin microplastics.
Long-term exposure to microplastics induces oxidative stress and a pro-inflammatory response in the gut of Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758
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Researchers fed gilthead seabream a diet containing low-density polyethylene microplastics for 90 days and found progressive increases in oxidative stress biomarkers, inflammatory enzyme activity, and tissue damage in the gut. After a 30-day depuration period, most biomarker values returned toward normal levels, indicating some recovery capacity. The study demonstrates that long-term microplastic ingestion can induce sustained oxidative stress and inflammation in fish intestines.
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