Using freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818) as a biological model for ecotoxicology studies: a systematic review

Abstract

Over time, a growing increase in human pollutants in the aquatic environment has been observed. The global presence of residues in water bodies reinforces the need to develop improved methods to detect them and evaluate their ecotoxicological effects in the aquatic environment. Thus, this study aimed to present the main assays using B. glabrata as a biological model for ecotoxicological studies. We performed a systematic literature review with data published up to June 2022 in the Science Direct, PubMed, and SciELO databases. Twenty-six studies were selected for this review after screening. B. glabrata has been studied as an ecotoxicological model for different substances through toxicity, embryotoxicity, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and bioaccumulation assays. Studies evaluating the impact of Biomphalaria glabrata exposure to several substances have reported toxic effects, behavioral and reproductive effects, and effects on their offspring. This review presents various assays using Biomphalaria glabrata as a biological model for ecotoxicological studies. The increasing number of studies conducted with the snail provides a preview of the snail's potential as a biological model for ecotoxicological studies.