THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS OF OXIDATIVE STRESS USED FOR ASSESSING POLLUTION IN COASTAL WATERS

The main purpose of the present report was to ascertain the state of marine waters in Mohammedia city (Morocco), using the response of oxidative stress parameters and to investigate their relationship in the sentinel organisms, Perna perna. To this end, catalase (CAT), an antioxidants enzyme representing the cellular defense mechanisms which counteract toxicity of reactive oxygen species, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA), a metabolite indicating generic oxidative stress caused by excess of membrane lipid peroxidation and it is considered to be one of the primary key events in oxidative damage, were used as biomarkers. The ANOVA results relative to CAT activity and MDA level, showed statistically significant differences (p< 0.05) in the studied specie issuing from the site submitted to pollution pressure (S2) in comparison to the control values of station 1 (S1), selected as a suitable clean area (22,356±3,358 against 12,312±1,820 nmol/min/mg proteins (p=0,0004; dft=9) and 4,838±1,217 against 2,234±0,115 nmol/mg proteins (p=0,0014; dft=9), for CAT and MDA respectively). The MDA level displayed a positive correlation with CAT activity (r = 0,909, (p = 0,032; dft=4)) in S2, however, insignificant negative correlation for reference site (S1) (r = - 0,389, (p = 0,517; dft=4)) were observed. Our results clearly indicate that organisms from S2 were exposed in situ to pollutants. This study also demonstrated that CAT and MDA might be measured for biomonitoring the environmental health of the Moroccan coast using the brown mussel as a sentinel species.