Biomarkers of Redox Biology as Tools for Assessing the Impact of Pollutants in Ecotoxicology

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Abstract
Redox biology offers valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying environmental toxicity. Under physiological conditions, reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur species (ROS, RNS, RSS, respectively) play essential roles in cellular signaling and homeostasis. However, when their production exceeds antioxidant defenses, oxidative distress ensues – an imbalance linked to inflammation, genotoxicity, and chronic diseases. Redox toxicology explores how pollutants – including metals, pesticides, hydrocarbons, microplastics, and nanomaterials – disrupt these pathways by modulating transcription factors such as NRF2 and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB), thereby triggering inflammatory and epigenetic responses. In this context, redox biomarkers – both enzymatic and non-enzymatic – have emerged as sensitive tools for the early detection of sublethal toxic effects. These biomarkers have been successfully applied in a wide range of organisms, from invertebrates and corals to fish, amphibians, and mammals. Despite their promise, redox biomarkers may exhibit species-specific, organ-specific, and dose-dependent variability, requiring integrative approaches for robust interpretation. The increasing complexity of pollutant mixtures and interspecies variation in redox responses underscores the need for multiparametric and cross-disciplinary strategies. This chapter addresses the fundamentals of redox biology in ecotoxicology, explores the practical applications and limitations of redox biomarkers, and emphasizes the importance of integrated biomonitoring for accurate environmental risk assessment and biodiversity conservation.

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