Biochemical characterization of the antioxidant system in the scallop Adamussium colbecki, a sentinel organism for monitoring the antarctic environment.

The scallop Adamussium colbecki can be profitably used for monitoring Antarctic coast environments but its utility would be increased if chemical analysis of pollutants were integrated with data on their biological effects. Since oxidative stress is a common pathway of toxicity induced by xenobiotics, a biochemical characterization was carried out on the antioxidant system of this species and baseline data collected for future assessment of the anthropogenic impact in this remote area. The digestive gland and gills were investigated for the levels of glutathione and the activity of several glutathione-dependent and antioxidant enzymes: glutathione reductase, glyoxalase I, glyoxalase II, glutathione S-transferases, Se-dependent and Se-independent glutathione peroxidases, catalase, superoxide dismutase. Moreover, the Total Oxyradical Scavenging Capacity (TOSC) against three potent oxidants was also measured in the microsomal and cytosolic fraction of the digestive gland. The dataset also contain measurements of the seasonal variations of the susceptibility to oxidative stress during the spring and summer months.