Oxylipins at intermediate larval stages of damselfly Coenagrion hastulatum as biochemical biomarkers for anthropogenic pollution

Abstract

Aquatic pollution resulting from anthropogenic activities requires adequate environmental monitoring strategies in sentinel organisms. Thus, biochemical biomarkers have been used as early-warning tools of biological effects in aquatic organisms. However, before using these markers for environmental monitoring, knowledge about their developmental variation is vital. In this study, we assessed baseline levels and developmental variations of a group of potential biomarkers, oxylipins, during the lifespan of the Northern damselfly (Coenagrion hastulatum) using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Effects of wastewater exposure on baseline levels were studied in a subset of damselflies to investigate the responsiveness due to anthropogenic pollution. Thirty-eight oxylipins deriving from four polyunsaturated fatty acids via two enzymatic pathways were detected in damselflies at three larval stages and in the adult form. Overall, oxylipin baseline levels showed developmental variation, which was lowest in the intermediate larval stages. Effects of exposure to wastewater effluent on oxylipin baseline levels were dependent on the life stage and were greatest in the early and intermediate larval stages. The study provides first insights into oxylipin profiles of damselflies at different stages of development and their developmental variation. Based on our results, we propose further strategies for incorporating oxylipins in damselfly larvae as biochemical markers for anthropogenic pollution.

Keywords

Benthic invertebrate; Life cycle; Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry; Fatty acid metabolite; Eicosanoid; Biomarker; Variation

Published in

Environmental Science and Pollution Research
2021, volume: 28, number: 22, pages: 27629–27638
Publisher: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

SLU Authors

• Brodin, Tomas

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Umeå University

• Cerveny, Daniel

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice

Global goals (SDG)

SDG6 Clean water and sanitation

UKÄ Subject classification

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Environmental Sciences

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12503-x

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/110950