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In Situ Assessment of a Neotropical Fish to Evaluate Pollution in a River Receiving Agricultural and Urban Wastewater

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Abstract

We aimed to assess the quality of a midsize river that receives agricultural and urban wastewater. Nuclear abnormalities (NA), comet assays of blood and gills, and gill histopathology were evaluated in fish Astyanax aff. paranae during the summer and winter 2011 at three sites in Paraná State, Brazil: (1) a biological reserve (Rebio—reference area); (2) an agricultural site; (3) a downstream site that accumulates agricultural and urban effluents. We found the highest effects of pollutants in fish at the downstream site during the summer. The agricultural site showed an intermediate damage rate, and fish at Rebio generally had the least damage, with the exception of NA. Despite conflicting results from the biomarkers used, we observed an increase in damage associated with the accumulation of pollutants. Pesticides are probable xenobiotics in the agricultural area. Additionally, metals and substances such as pharmaceuticals and ammonia may be present at the downstream site.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the logistical support from the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation of the Reserve of Perobas; to Nupélia (Limnology, Ichthyology and Aquiculture Research Center/UEM); to financial support from the Araucaria Foundation and SETI (Parana State Agency for Science and Technology) and to CAPES (PROEX - Brazilian Agency for Science and Technology). We greatly thank Jeffrey D. Muehlbauer for English language revisions. Voucher specimens of collected individuals were stored at the Ichthyological Collection of the Limnology, Ichthyology and Aquiculture Research Center: the JP and MP fishes NUP 13381 and Field: NCG2011103101 and the Rebio fishes NUP13382 and Field NCG2011071701.

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  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PEA)/Nupélia, Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM), Maringá, PR, Brazil

    Nédia de Castilhos Ghisi & Alberto José Prioli

  2. Universidade Tecnológia Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil

    Nédia de Castilhos Ghisi & Elton Celton de Oliveira

  3. Laboratório de Reprodução e Comunidade de Peixes, Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil

    Luís Fernando Fávaro

  4. Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil

    Helena Cristina Silva de Assis

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  1. Nédia de Castilhos Ghisi
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  4. Helena Cristina Silva de Assis
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Correspondence to Nédia de Castilhos Ghisi.

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Ghisi, N.C., de Oliveira, E.C., Fávaro, L.F. et al. In Situ Assessment of a Neotropical Fish to Evaluate Pollution in a River Receiving Agricultural and Urban Wastewater. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 93, 699–709 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1403-6

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