Oxidative damage induced by copper and beta-cypermethrin in gill of the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii

• Chemical contaminants in the aquatic environment can cause protein damage of Procambarus clarkii gill in a concentration-dependent manner.
• This is the first report on a linear positive correlation between protein carbonylation and MDA formation in crayfish species.
• Protein carbonyls level could be considered as a sensitive biomarker not only of oxidative stress but also of protein dysfunction induced by water pollutions.

Copper (Cu) and pyrethroid are common contaminants found in the aquatic environment, and their potential toxicological effects on aquatic organisms have received extensive attention. However, the impact on crayfish species of exposure to the two chemicals are still largely unknown. The current study assessed the sublethal toxicities induced by Cu and commercial formulation of beta-cypermethrin in the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii. The static test method of acute toxicity test was used. Five biomarkers of oxidative effects, i.e. reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyls, and pathologic changes were determined. The results demonstrated that there was a significant increase in the contents of ROS, MDA and protein carbonyls accompanied by markedly decreased SOD and CAT activities in a concentration-dependent manner. The linear relationship between protein carbonyls induction and MDA formation was observed evidently in crayfish gills at 96 h. Higher contents of ROS enhanced the risk of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation, thus impacting vital physiological functions of gills. The results indicated that protein oxidation may be one of the main mechanisms of pollution-induced toxicity to crayfish gills. Protein carbonyl levels could be considered as a potential biomarker of exposure to environmental contaminants.