Title: Diapositiva 1
 1PAHs, biomarker responses, histopathology, 
 biochemical analysis of larvae and reproductive 
parameters in hake and anchovy after the 
Prestige oil spill 
 2OBJECTIVE 
-Selected species  hake (M. merluccius) and 
anchovy (E. encrasicolus)
- commercial importance in local fisheries - 
representative of demersal and pelagic habitats
North
Peñas-Ajo (PA)
Ajo-Bidasoa (AB)
South
Miño-Fisterra (MF) 
 3Selected tools 
1.- Chemical analysis of PAHs concentration in 
 flesh
2.- Exposure and effect biomarkers
3.- Liver and gonad histopathology
4.- Biochemical and nucleic acid analysis, 
 growth rates and K index
5.- analysis of historical series of fecundity 
 parameters 
 4Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry, analysis of 
24 PAHs
2004
anchovy
hake 
Average 51.1 ?g/kg dry weight
Average 27.2 ?g/kg dry weight 
 5 Samples of 2005 year in process 
 6BIOMARKERS AS EARLY WARNING SIGNALS
EXPOSURE BIOMARKERS -EROD activity -peroxisome 
proliferation (Vvp and AOX activity)
 EFFECT BIOMARKER -Lysosomal membrane stability 
test
No previous data in selected especies 
 7CYP1A1 induction 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase 
(EROD) activity
anchovy EROD activity in S9 fraction
3
2
pmol resorufin/ min/mg prot
1
0
Male North
Male South
Female North
Female South
BEQUALM intercalibration programme - EROD 
activity in cod liver - Protein concentration in 
cod liver and muscle 
 8Palmitoyl CoA-oxidase Activity
2
Peroxisome proliferation
anchovy
1,5
AOX (mU/mg prot)
1
0,5
DAB
0
Volume Density of Peroxisomes
0,004
anchovy
0,003
x100
0,002
Peroxisomes in anchovy
0,001
0
Male North
Male South
Female North
Female South 
 9Lysosomal membrane stability
ß-Gus (x 40)
Hake
Anchovy
acid phosphatase
10
anchovy
8
6
2004
Lp (min)
2005
4
2
0
Female South
Male South
Female North
Male North 
 10Hake liver
Nematodes
Inflammation
Melanomacrophages
Nuclear polymorphism 
 112003
Hake liver
AB
PA 
MF
Nematodes (macroscopic)
37.5 (n24)
10.7 (n28)
40.2 (n102)
Nematodes (microscopic)
4.3 (n23)
7.1 (n28)
13.2 (n68)
MMCs
47.8 (n23)
25 (n28)
48.5 (n68)
IRLA
4.3 (n23)
17.9 (n28)
14.7 (n68)
HNP
30.4 (n23)
50 (n28)
16.2 (n68)
Necrotic Foci
0 (n23)
0 (n28)
3 (n68)
MMCs melanomacrophage centers IRLA inflammatory 
response with lymphocyte accumulations HNP 
hepatocellular nuclear polymorphism 
Different colour indicates plt0.05 according to 
?2 test 
 12Anchovy liver
Nematodes
Nuclear polymorphism
MMCs and coccideans
Inflammation 
 13Anchovy liver
SOUTH
2004
2003
0 (n59)
46 (n50)
Nematodes (microscopic)
plt0.05
10.2 (n59)
22 (n50)
Coccideans
plt0.05
11.9 (n59)
52 (n50)
MMCs
plt0.05
1.7 (n59)
10 (n50)
IRLA
plt0.05
16 (n50)
HNP
13.5 (n59) 
- 
0 (n59)
8 (n50)
Necrotic Foci
plt0.05
MMCs melanomacrophage centers IRLA inflammatory 
response with lymphocyte accumulations HNP 
hepatocellular nuclear polymorphism 
 14hake gonad histopathology (prevalence of atretic 
oocytes)
Degeneration of immature oocytes
Alveolo cortical atretic oocytes
vitellogenic atretic oocytes 
 15anchovy gonad histopathology (prevalence of 
atretic oocytes) 
Atretic oocytes 
 16stereological methods (Weibel lattice M168), 30 
individuals, 20 fields, x 20 
Checking of gonad histological samples since 
1996 
 17- Somatic condition
- RNA/DNA (average)
R/D20005
No significant differences (ANOVA pgt0,05)
R/D20034,7
- Growth rate 
 18BEFORE THE SPILL (2000,2001)
 n118, plt.0001
Proteins   -46,628  47,024  ln(length1) R2 
 ,326
Carbohydrates   54,574 - 19,323  ln(length1) 
R2  ,17
Lipids   92,054 - 27,701  ln(length1) R2  
,164
 Biomolecule
AFTER THE SPILL (2003,2004)
1,6
1,8
2
2,2
2,4
2,6
2,8
Ln (legth mm1)
n47, pgt.05
 Biomolecule
Proteins   23,44  12,754  ln(length1) R2  
,056
Carbohydrates   16,715 - 3,598  ln(length1) 
R2  ,04
Lipids   59,845 - 9,156  ln(length1) R2  
,025
Ln (legth mm1) 
 19Anchovy Batch Fecundity (total number of eggs 
released in a batch) Spawning fraction () 
percentage of spawning mature females
-nothing extraordinary after the Prestige oil 
Spill 
 20Hake Relative Batch Fecundity (total number of 
hydrated oocytes/female gutted weight)
-nothing extraordinary after the Prestige oil 
Spill 
 21Summary-1
- In 2004 the concentration of 24 PAHs in flesh was 
higher in anchovy than in hake. Negative 
correlation between PAHs concentration and length 
in hake.  - There were no differences in anchovy between 
years 2004 and 2005 in EROD activity and in LP. 
The volume density of Peroxisomas and AOX 
activity was decreased from 2004 to 2005. Could 
indicate recovery??  - - Prevalence of histopathologies in anchovy 
decreased from 2003 to 2004, indicating a 
possible recovery of their health state. High 
prevalence (gt40 in some cases) of parasitic 
infestations, melanomacrophages, inflammatory 
reactions, necrotic foci and hepatocellular 
nuclear polymorphism in hake. 
  22Summary-2
- The stereological preliminary results in 2004 
show a 7.2 of atretic oocytes in hake and 0,26 
in anchovy. It is necessary to check the 
historical series in order to test if there are 
significant differences between years.
- In anchovy larvae, no significant differences 
between 2000 and 2003 in growth rate and nucleic 
acid analysis have been found. The somatic index 
differed only in the younger larvae. Different 
pattern of biomolecular composition before and 
after spill- There are no apparent differences 
in the annual fecundity for both species. 
Statistical comparative test among years and more 
biological parameters (size at maturity, 
duration of reproductive season) are necessary 
to decipher whether there are differences in the 
reproductive capacity of populations. 
  23Thanks