BIOMARCADORES ENZIMÁTICOS E HISTOLÓGICOS EM Ucides cordatus LINNAEUS, 1763 (CRUSTACEA, DECAPODA) PARA AVALIAÇÃO DE IMPACTO ANTRÓPICO NA REGIÃO PORTUÁRIA DE SÃO LUÍS, MARANHÃO

Abstract

The use of biomarkers is increasingly frequent in biomonitoring programs, given the effectiveness of evaluating impacted environments such as port regions. This work aimed to: 1) quantify biochemical and histological responses in Ucides cordatus from the zone of influence of the port complex of São Luís (Maranhão); and 2) identify and characterize the main methodologies that use biomarkers applied to biomonitor organisms for the evaluation of port environments, through scientific articles published in databases from 2000 to 2016. For the literature review, a search was carried out for articles that contained the key words "biomonitoring", "biomarker", "port" and/or "harbor" five databases of data. in five databases (BioOne, SciELO, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Wiley Online Library). For the analysis of biological responses, Ucides cordatus (uçá-crab) were captured bimonthly in the estuarine complex of São Marcos (impacted region) and in the estuary of the Paciência river (low impact area) - Maranhão, Brazil. From each specimen, the biometric data were recorded and the gills were extracted for histological examination and of the hepatopancreas to analyze the activity of the enzymes Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST). As results of the experimental analysis with the use of biomarkers in crabs in the island of São Luís, all gills had lesions in both areas, being the most frequent lesions the breakdown of pilasters and lamellar collapse. The activity of CAT and GST showed a different pattern in the two areas analyzed, with GST activity being considered the best biomarker with the highest sensitivity in the crabs of the port region. In general, these findings support the use of biomarkers to evaluate port regions, and the integrated analysis (biochemical and histological) in U. cordatus is best suited to identify identify impacts on organisms caused by pollution from estuarine environments.