Antioxidant and oxidative damage responses in different organs of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) reared in a biofloc technology system

Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) reared in a conventional seawater (SW) aquarium system SW were compared with those raised in a biofloc technology (BFT) system. After 30days, the L. vannamei shrimp were euthanized and samples of gills, hepatopancreas and muscle were dissected. Statistical analysis was performed using bi-factorial ANOVA, with the factors of the treatment (shrimp reared in SW or in a BFT system) and organs (gills, hepatopancreas and muscles). No differences (p > 0.05) in glutathione-S-transferase activity were observed between shrimp reared in SW and shrimp reared in BFT (p < 0.05). Glutathione levels were lower (p < 0.05) in the gills and hepatopancreas of shrimp reared in the BFT system, suggesting changes in the antioxidant composition of these organs. Lipid peroxidation levels were higher in the hepatopancreas than in muscle in shrimp reared in SW (p < 0.05) and this difference was not observed in organisms reared in the BFT system (p > 0.05). Overall, the results showed that rearing shrimp in the BFT system altered both their antioxidant and oxidative damage responses. This indicates that some microbial communities in BFT systems can influence the redox state of L. vannamei.