Anguilla anguilla L. oxidative stress biomarkers responses to copper exposure with or without β-naphthoflavone pre-exposure

The redox cycling of heavy metals as well as their interactions with organic pollutants is a major contributor to the oxidative stress resulting from aquatic pollution. Therefore, in order to evaluate β-naphthoflavone (BNF), Cu and BNF/Cu-induced oxidative stress with single and subsequent exposures, research was carried out in European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.). Eel gill and kidney oxidative stress biomarker responses such as lipid peroxidation (LPO), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and total reduced glutathione (GSH) to a single 24 h exposure to two copper concentrations (Cu-1 μM, 2.5 μM) and BNF (2.7 μM) with or without 24 h BNF (2.7 μM) pre-exposure were investigated. Cu exposure alone showed a significant gill GST increase at the lowest concentration and GSH content decrease for the highest concentration. Double BNF exposure in gill demonstrated a significant increase in LPO, CAT, GPX and GST, as well as a decrease in GSH content. However, in sequential BNF/Cu exposures, only the highest Cu concentration exhibited a significant increase in LPO and GSH as well as a decrease in GPX (vs. BNF + CW).