The crustacean Parapenaeus longirostris as pollution sentinel in an impacted area of the NW Mediterranean Sea

In the context of marine pollution monitoring, this study evaluates the suitability of the deep-water rose shrimp, Parapenaeus longirostris , as a sentinel species within the framework of Descriptor 8 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), using an impacted region of the NW Mediterranean Sea as a case study. Shrimps were sampled by trawling from the fishing ports subject to different degrees of anthropogenic pressure (i.e Palamós, Barcelona and La Ràpita). Relevant tissues were selected for the measurement of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterases (CEs), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and N-acetyl-β- D -glucosaminidase (NAGase). In parallel, an exploratory screening for one of the most abundant plastic additives found in the marine environment, organophosphate ester (OPEs) flame retardants and plasticizers, was performed. On one hand, our results showed, that the activities of GST, GPX and CEs were higher in central (Barcelona) and southern (La Ràpita) sites, areas considered chronically exposed to higher pollution loads. Shrimps from La Ràpita displayed the highest amount of oxidative stress damage. On the other hand, the presence of certain OPEs in shrimp muscle was confirmed in the three sites. Interestingly, specimens from La Ràpita showed a higher diversity of OPEs, and the highest concentration of the chlorinated-OPE TCIPP (1.7 ng/g d.w.). Overall, the variations in biomarker activities observed across sites support both the sensitivity of these parameters to chemical pollution and the potential of this species as sentinel, highlighting the importance of integrating crustaceans in biomonitoring programs.