PARENT SESSION
80 - Biomonitoring and Assessment
8:00 AM to 6:30 PM, Wednesday, 15 May 2002
Exhibition Area

(80-16) BIO-MARE : a pilot biomarkers project for the ecotossicological assessment of off-shore Agip activity areas in the Mediterranean sea.

Fossi, M. Cristina², Leonzio, Claudio³, Casini, Silvia³, Marsili, Letizia³, Astorri, Marino¹, Pedroni, Paola⁴, Ferraro, Maria^*,1, ² Department of Animal Biology and Marine Ecology, Messina University, Messina, Italy³ Department of Environmental Science, Siena University, Siena, Italy¹ ENI Divisione Agip via dell'Unione Europea 3, San Donato Milanese, Italy⁴ ENI Tecnologie, Roma, Italy

ABSTRACT- The main aim of the BIO-MARE AGIP pilot project is to develop and validate a new methodology based on the use of biomarkers on bioindicator organisms and bacteria for the evaluation of the ecotoxicological risk related to off-shore activities in the Mediterranen sea. The research activity is articulated in three phases : phase 1 - laboratory and semi-natural studies ; phase 2 - field studies; phase 3 - development and realization of an applicative protocol. The methodology used in this research is mainly based on the use of several biomarkers (MFO activities (BPMO, EROD, PROD, Cyp450-Reductases), Porphyrins (Copro-, Uro-, Protoporphyrins), PAH bile metabolites, Esterases (AChE, BChE, CbE), Vitellogenin, Zona Radiata proteins, Micronuclei, DNA adducts, antioxidant enzymes, metallothioneins) in bioindicator organisms (flat fish and marine invertebrates) and microbial biomarkers in bacteria. The final objective of this project is to develop a synthetic methodological protocol for the ecotoxicological risk assessment of Mediterranean areas interested by AGIP-oil activities.

Key words: biomarkers, flat fish, marine invertebrates, off-shore platforms