Assessment of environmental stress in Parablennius sanguinolentus (Pallas, 1814) of the Sicilian Ionian coast

The blenny Parablennius sanguinolentus was selected as auseful bioindicator of environmental pollution.Chemical parameters in water and sediments from three different sampling sites along the SicilianIonian coast were determined and metal concentrations in fish muscle were measured. DNAfragmentation and oxidation in erythrocytes and hepatocytes was determined by the Comet assay and HSP70 expression levels were evaluated in the liver. The results show an increased level of chromium in sediments and high polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in water at onesite. The bioaccumulation of metals in muscle tissue shows high concentrations of lead in some samples. A high percentage of DNA damage in blood and liver cells, as well as highh epatic levels ofHSP70, were found in all the sites. The results demonstrate the usefulness of an integrated chemical andbiological approach for the determination of environmental stress.