The antihypertensive losartan (LOS) has been detected in wastewater and environmental matrices, however further studies focused on assessing the ecotoxicological effects on aquatic ecosystems are necessary. Considering the intensive use of this pharmaceutical and its discharges into coastal zones, our study aimed to determine the environmental concentrations of LOS in seawater, as well as to assess the biological effects of LOS on the marine bivalve Perna perna. For this purpose, fertilization rate and embryolarval development were evaluated through standardized assays. Phase I (ethoxyresorufin O‑deethylase EROD and dibenzylfluorescein dealkylase DBF) and II (glutathione S-transferase GST) enzymes, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Cholinesterase (ChE), lipoperoxidation (LPO) and DNA damage were used to analyze sublethal responses in gills and digestive gland of adult individuals. Lysosomal membrane stability was also assessed in hemocytes. Our results showed the occurrence of LOS in 100% of the analyzed water samples located in Santos Bay, Sao Paulo, Brazil, in a range of 0.2 ng/L-8.7 ng/L. Effects on reproductive endpoints were observed after short-term exposure to concentrations up to 75 mg/L. Biomarker responses demonstrated the induction of CYP450 like activity and GST in mussel gills exposed to 300 and 3000 ng/L of LOS, respectively. GPx activity was also increased in concentration of exposure to 3000 ng/L of LOS. Cyto-genotoxic effects were found in gills and hemocytes exposed in concentrations up to 300 ng/L. These results highlighted the concern of introducing this class of contaminants into marine environments, and pointed out the need to include antihypertensive compounds in environmental monitoring programs.
RESUMO: Em Santos, litoral de São Paulo, a avaliação da qualidade microbiológica da água das praias é realizada pela prefeitura e pela Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (CETESB). Entretanto, a mesma atenção não é direcionada à areia das praias. A areia representa um potencial vetor de contaminação e pode constituir reservatório de microrganismos patogênicos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a qualidade microbiológica da areia das praias de Santos, São Paulo. Utilizou-se a técnica das membranas filtrantes para os grupos de coliformes fecais (Escherichia coli ) e enterococos. As amostras foram coletadas em sete pontos das praias de Santos. Os ensaios foram realizados mensalmente durante 8 meses e os resultados, expressos em unidades formadoras de colônias (UFC) de bactérias por 100 g de areia, variaram de 40.000 a 2.700.000 para E. coli e de não detectado a 95.000 para enterococos, encontrando-se acima dos valores orientadores existentes em âmbito nacional (3.800 UFC.100g-1 - Rio de Janeiro) e internacional (100.000 UFC.100g-1 - Portugal). O contato com areia contaminada pode causar diversas doenças, comprometendo a qualidade de vida da população. Torna-se importante a realização de estudos baseados em evidências epidemiológicas de exposição e análises de risco, para se estabelecer padrões de qualidade e políticas públicas para monitoramento e gerenciamento da qualidade sanitária da areia das praias do litoral de São Paulo.
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