Effects of water-borne copper on metallothionein and lipid peroxidation in the marine amphipod Gammarus locusta

The aim of the current work was to determine over 10 days the effects of water-borne exposure of the marine amphipod Gammarus locusta to 4 mugCu 1(-1) on the metallothionein (NIT; measured by differential pulse polarography) protection system and lipid peroxidation (LP; thiobarbituric acid-reactive malondialdehyde equivalents) as a measure of oxidative damage. MT levels in exposed animals increased significantly at day 2 (36% > control; P < 0.001) and remained high at days 6 and 10 (55 and 38%, respectively, P < 0.001). The maximum level of NIT at day 6 coincided with the highest Cu body-burden. LP increased within 1 day of exposure, indicative of Cu as an oxidative stressor. However, in contrast to NIT, the highest LP level was seen at day 4 (68% > control, P < 0.001) before returning to control values by day 6, indicating a protective role of NIT against the pro-oxidant effects of Cu. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.