Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in the Shrimp <i>Macrobrachium amazonicum</i> (Heller, 1862): Assessment in an Environmental Preservation Area in the Brazilian Amazon

Anthropogenic activities generate a significant amount of pollutants that are released into the environment, causing physiological and ecological disturbances. Among the xenobiotics present in aquatic ecosystems, numerous chemical and organic compounds have oxidative potential or are metabolized through oxidative processes, which may amplify the damage caused by reactive oxygen species to biological systems. The quantification of cellular damage and antioxidant defenses can be used as biomarkers for early aquatic contamination. The aim of this research was to use the shrimp Macrobrachium amazonicum as a bioindicator species to assess oxidative damage caused by xenobiotics in an Environmental Protection Area in the Brazilian Amazon. The analyses evaluated physicochemical parameters, Iron, Copper, Total Solids, pH, and Temperature, as well as non-enzymatic and enzymatic oxidative stress biomarkers: Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances, glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) in hepatopancreas homogenates. Among the analyzed metals, only copper (Cu) showed a statistically significant influence on GSH and CAT activities, whereas the other parameters did not exhibit significant effects. Oxidative stress parameters can be important tools in biomonitoring work, helping to understand the effects of contamination on aquatic organisms and providing important information on cellular defense modulations.