title: Oxidative stress markers in fish (Astyanax sp. and Danio rerio) exposed to urban and agricultural effluents in the Brazilian Pampa biome.
abstract: Aquatic ecosystems are under constant risk due to industrial, agricultural, and urban activities, compromising water quality and preservation of aquatic biota. The assessment of toxicological impacts caused by pollutants to aquatic environment using biomarker measurements in fish can provide reliable data to estimate sublethal effects posed by chemicals in contaminated areas. In this study, fish (Astyanax sp. and Danio rerio) exposed to agricultural and urban effluents at the Vacacaí River, Brazil, were tested for potential signs of aquatic contamination. This river comprehends one of the main watercourses of the Brazilian Pampa, a biome with a large biodiversity that has been neglected in terms of environmental and social-economic development. Sites S1 and S2 were chosen by their proximity to crops and wastewater discharge points, while reference site was located upstream of S1 and S2, in an apparently non-degraded area. Fish muscle and brain tissues were processed for determination of acetylcholinesterase as well as oxidative stress-related biomarkers. The results showed signs of environmental contamination, hallmarked by significant changes in cholinesterase activity, expression of metallothionein, antioxidant enzymes, glutathione levels, and activation of antioxidant/cell stress response signaling pathways in fish exposed to contaminated sites when compared to reference. Based on these results, it is evidenced that urban and agricultural activities are posing risk to the environmental quality of water resources at the studied area. It is also demonstrated that cell stress biomarkers may serve as important tools for biomonitoring and development of risk assessment protocols in the Pampa biome.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil, 97.300-000.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Costa-Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil, 97.300-000.
authors.forename: M E M
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil, 97.300-000.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Wallau
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil, 97.300-000.
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil, 97.300-000.
authors.forename: A P P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Zemolin
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil, 97.300-000.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil, 97.300-000.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil, 97.300-000.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil, 97.300-000.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Posser
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, São Gabriel, RS, Brazil, 97.300-000. jefersonfranco@unipampa.edu.br.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Franco
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001938:Brazil; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D060126:Characidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D060753:Water Quality; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000378:metabolism*; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D015415:Biomarkers; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D008668:Metallothionein; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins
keywords: Agriculture; Biomarkers; Fish; Oxidative stress; Pollution; Wastewater