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Assessment of the Toxic Potential of Sewage Sludge in the Midgut of the Diplopod Rhinocricus padbergi

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Abstract

The destination of sewage sludge is a problem faced by sewage treatment plants (STPs). Many alternatives have been sought, such as the application of sewage sludge in degraded soils and in agriculture as fertilizer. However, due to the risk of contamination with pathogens and/or metals, the use of sludge should be done cautiously. By the habits that diplopods present, they have been considered good environmental indicators for soil analysis. In this study, animals from the Rhinocricus padbergi species were exposed to two sewage sludge samples from two STPs in the São Paulo State, for different periods. The midgut of the animals were removed and histologically processed and subjected to histochemical tests. It was detected the following tissular responses: clusters of haemocytes through the cells of the fat body layer, increase in the quantity of intracellular granules in the cells of the fat body layer, increase in the release of secretion vesicles of the intestinal epithelium, and intense vacuolization of the cytoplasm of epithelial cells. The results suggest the presence of toxic substances to the studied species in both sludge samples used.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Gerson Mello Souza and Cristiane Marcia Miléo for the technical support, Márcia Miyuki Hoshina and Zenaide Moschim Gianini for helping in the translation, CNPq and FUNDUNESP for the financial support and Dra. Gisela Umbuzeiro for providing the sludge used.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Institute of Biosciences UNESP, Avenida 24-A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, São Paulo, Brazil

    Danielli Giuliano Perez & Carmem Silvia Fontanetti

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  1. Danielli Giuliano Perez
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  2. Carmem Silvia Fontanetti
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Correspondence to Carmem Silvia Fontanetti.

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Giuliano Perez, D., Fontanetti, C.S. Assessment of the Toxic Potential of Sewage Sludge in the Midgut of the Diplopod Rhinocricus padbergi . Water Air Soil Pollut 218, 437–444 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0657-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0657-9

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