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Assessment of surface water using Allium cepa test and histological analysis in Rhamdia quelen

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Abstract

This study aimed to assess the cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic potentials of water samples collected in the Alegre River Basin, located in a predominantly rural area with no sewage treatment facilities in the Espírito Santo State, Brazil, using Allium cepa test. Also, gills and liver of Rhamdia quelen, a common fish species of the region, were histologically analyzed. A semi-quantitative analysis was performed and a histopathological alterations index (HAI) was determined. Our findings indicated that the waters of this river basin were cytotoxic (mitotic index reduction) and/or genotoxic (chromosomal abnormalities induction). Mutagenicity (micronuclei induction) was not observed for any water sample. The values for HAI showed that the waters caused moderate histological alterations in R. quelen. Liver was more sensitive than gills. It is necessary to implement a sewage treatment system and raise awareness on inappropriate management and disposal of agrochemicals in order to allow the recovery of Alegre River.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Espírito Santo (FAPES; process number 53595815/11) for the financial support. Thank to Damielle Leite Figueiredo and Emerson Miranda for the technical support. We thank Eduardo Mattos Fortuna Neto for the assistance during the collection of water samples and fish sampling. Thank to Giulianna Rondineli Carmassi, Alberto Luciano Carmassi, Aline Santana da Silva, Diego Lacerda de Souza, and Kristian Rodolfo Santos for helping in fish sampling.

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  1. Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Rua Alto Universitário, s/número, Guararema, Alegre, Espírito Santo, 29500-000, Brasil

    Tatiana da Silva Souza, Victor Ventura de Souza & Mylena Boeque Lascola

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  1. Tatiana da Silva Souza
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  2. Victor Ventura de Souza
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Correspondence to Tatiana da Silva Souza.

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da Silva Souza, T., de Souza, V.V. & Lascola, M.B. Assessment of surface water using Allium cepa test and histological analysis in Rhamdia quelen. Environ Monit Assess 190, 420 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6795-z

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