Biochemical and genotoxicity assessment of a polluted urban river using the native fish Astyanax altiparanae Garutti & Britski (Teleostei, Characidae)

Abstract

Agriculture residues and domestic effluents are contaminants that reach aquatic ecosystems leading to toxic effects to environment and human health. These contaminants impacting mainly developing countries, due to precarious treatment of effluents and lack of legislation in the use of pesticides. Perequê River (South of Brazil) is impacted by pesticides (mainly glyphosate) and domestic effluents. The aims of this study were to analyze the concentration of glyphosate in water and sediments of Perequê River; and to evaluate the sublethal effects of the river contamination in Astyanax altiparanae using biomarkers. A sampling of water, sediment and fish were carried out in Perequê River (November/2016). The samples were collected in two sites, site 1 (S1) that is located on agriculture area and water catchment point; and site 2 (S2) located on the area with a domestic effluents influence. Water and sediment samples were used to glyphosate quantification. Fish were collected and tissues (brain, muscle, liver) were used to biochemical and genetic biomarkers. Glyphosate were quantified in S1, which is impacted by agriculture. Alterations in the liver biomarkers were not observed between the sites. However, the decrease in the AChE activity was observed in the S2, showing that the mixture of contaminants (urban and agriculture contaminants) can lead to anticholinesterasic effects. The sublethal effects observed can be a threat of environmental and human health.

Meio ambiente

“…Assim, os biomarcadores podem registar uma resposta individual dos peixes aos fatores de stress na água 8 . Há estudos que mostraram efeitos neurotóxicos, com redução da atividade da enzima acetilcolinesterase (AChE), bem como anormalidades nucleares em rios com mistura de poluentes, e em rios com influência de pesticidas 9,10 . Além disso, alguns estudos sugerem a formação de micronúcleos e anormalidades nucleares em algumas espécies de peixes, quando expostas a concentrações de pesticidas e metais, por exemplo 11,12 .…”