Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations and biomarker responses in the clam Ruditapes decussatus transplanted in the Ria Formosa lagoon.

Clams Ruditapes decussatus were transplanted in the Ria Formosa lagoon and the variation of PAH concentrations in the whole soft tissues measured, along with a suite of biomarkers, including the following: (a) phase I and phase II metabolism of xenobiotics enzymes: benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase (BPH) and glutathione S-transferase (GST); (b) antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidases and (c) lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels. Individual PAHs were differently accumulated and eliminated by R. decussatus. During the metabolisation of PAHs by R. decussatus BPH was clearly induced in the digestive gland. Moreover, ROS lead to the induction of protective antioxidant enzymes still causing oxidative damage to membranes. Therefore, BPH seems to be a relevant indicator of PAHs in R. decussatus.