Micropollutants impair the survival of Oreochromis niloticus and threat local species from Iguaçu River, Southern of Brazil

• Published in: Environmental toxicology and pharmacology Vol. 83; p. 103596
• Main Authors: Gemusse, Satar Luciano, Turcatti Folle, Nilce Mary, Souza, Angie Thaisa da Costa, Azevedo-Linhares, Maristela, Neto, Francisco Filipak, Ortolani-Machado, Claudia Feijó, Esquivel Garcia, Juan Ramon, Esquivel, Luíse, da Silva, Cleber Pinto, de Campos, Sandro Xavier, Martins, Cesar de Castro, de Oliveira Ribeiro, Ciro Alberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-04-2021
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase - metabolism; Animals; Bioassay; Biomarkers; Brain - drug effects; Brain - metabolism; Brazil; Catalase - metabolism; Cichlids - blood; Cichlids - metabolism; Conservation; Female; Gills - drug effects; Gills - pathology; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Gonads - drug effects; Gonads - pathology; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - analysis; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - toxicity; Iguaçu River; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Male; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Muscles - drug effects; Muscles - metabolism; Oreochromis niloticus; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - toxicity; Protein Carbonylation - drug effects; Rivers; Vitellogenins - blood; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water quality; Brazil; Biomarkers; Oreochromis niloticus; Bioassay; Iguaçu River; Water quality; Conservation
• ISSN: 1382-6689; 1872-7077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2021.103596

•Histopathological biomarkers revealed risk for the health and reproduction of fish.•Vitellogenin expression in male fish revealed the bioavailability of endocrine disruptors.•The local populations of fish are in risk due to the micropollutants in the Iguaçu River.
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The wastewater contamination of urban rivers is a concern for biodiversity and a consequence from poor urban conservation policies. In the current study, the impact of urban and industrial activities was investigated in Iguaçu river (Southern Brazil) using juvenile Oreochromis niloticus, after trophic and chronic exposure (25, 50 and 100 %), over 81 days. After exposure liver, gills, gonads, brain, muscle, and blood were sampled for chemical, biochemical, histopathological, genotoxic and molecular analyses. Water levels of persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, polycyclic aromatics hydrocarbon (PAHs) and metals were investigated. The redox unbalance, histopathological and increase in vitellogenin expression in fish revealed both the bioavailability of micropollutants and their harmful effects. According to the results, the level of Iguaçu river pollution negatively impacts the health of O. niloticus revealing and highlighting the risk of this pollution exposure to biota and human populations.