Speaker
Description
Exposure of marine organisms to contaminants, such as heavy metals, is a major environmental and health concern. Contaminants bioaccumulate in marine ecosystems and enter human food chain through seafood, posing health risks. The dynamic of heavy metal bioaccumulation depends on the chemical properties of the contaminants, exposure levels, species, and affected tissues. Given the difficulty of monitoring all anthropogenic contaminants that pose environmental risks, a promising approach is to use biomarkers to assess biochemical responses. Biomarkers detect cellular stress before observable effects at higher biological levels. A key response to heavy metals is oxidative stress, caused by ROS, which damages cells and impairs health. ROS can lead to lipid peroxidation, affecting cell membranes, which is especially concerning in marine organisms due to their high levels of PUFAs, including omega-3 fatty acids. While oxidative stress and biomarkers have been studied, less research has been done on how lipid oxidation affects fish growth and quality. Understanding bioaccumulation and biomagnification of contaminants in fish is crucial for assessing risks to human health through the marine food chain. A multidisciplinary approach, integrating bioaccumulation data with molecular and cellular assessments, promotes environmental sustainability, ecological integrity and food safety, in line with the “One Health” model.
| Presenting author | Simona Manuguerra |
|---|
