Use of acetylcholinesterase, glutathione S-transferase and cytochrome P450 1A1 in Capoeta umbla as biomarkers for monitoring of pollution in Uzuncayir Dam Lake (Tunceli, Turkey).

Uzuncayir Dam Lake is one of the most important water bodies in Tunceli. It is polluted by domestic wastewaters together with natural contamination and pesticides, which have had cumulatively negative effects. This study analyzes the effects of pollution by using the fish species, Capoeta umbla as a sentinel species, with a biomarker approach. The approach comprehends a general biomarker of individual fish health, the condition factor and specific biomarkers of contaminant exposure such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. The general water physico-chemical parameters were measured at each sampling sites during each fish-sampling period. Strong seasonal and locational variations were observed among selected markers. In conclusion, the multibiomarker approach used in the present study clearly revealed differences in the fish health among reference and potentially contaminated sites. The study shows that changes of biomarkers such as acetylcholinesterase, glutathione S-transferase and cytochrome P450 1A1 might be useful for the assessment of environmental contamination in the Uzuncayir Dam Lake (Tunceli, Turkey).