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Biomonitoring Assessment of Toxic and Trace Elements in Sterechinus neumayeri Sea Urchins from the Comandante Ferraz Station in Antarctica

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Abstract

In the present study, sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri tissues were used for the passive biomonitoring of toxic and trace elements at the Comandante Ferraz Station, Antarctica and compared to a pristine region (Botany). As, Ba, Br, Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Na, Rb, Sc, Se and Zn concentrations were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), while toxic metals (Cd, Hg, Ni and Pb), and Cu were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS). The findings were compared to other organisms commonly applied for biomonitoring purposes and to the sediment concentrations of each sampling region. Urchins from the Ferraz Station area presented higher Br, Co, Cr, Cs, K, Se and Zn levels than the pristine location. The results obtained herein suggest S. neumayeri can be applied to the biomonitoring of Cr and Zn. The present study also contributes to knowledge of the mineral composition of the sea urchin S. neumayeri.

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Acknowledgements

This study was part of the PROANTAR project, process: 421728/2017-5, entitled “Isolation and comparison of the echinochromes of tropical and Antarctic sea urchins and their potential pharmacological and therapeutic applications” in partnership with the Evolutionary Histophysiology Laboratory, Department of Cellular Biology and Development, belonging to the Biomedical Sciences Institute, at the University of São Paulo.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, IPEN -CNEN/SP., Av. Professor Lineu Prestes 2242–Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil

    Mauricio Barlera Alves & Deborah Inês Teixeira Fávaro

  2. Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil

    Andrews Krupinski Emerenciano, José Roberto Machado Cunha Silva, João Carlos Shimada Borges, Ricardo Moraes Borges, Joana Mona e Pinto, Karina Fernandes Oliveira Rezende & Luciana Machado Dzik

  3. Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Praça Infante Dom Henrique s/n, São Vicente, SP, 11330-900, Brazil

    Isabella Cristina Antunes da Costa Bordon

Authors
  1. Mauricio Barlera Alves
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  2. Andrews Krupinski Emerenciano
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  3. Isabella Cristina Antunes da Costa Bordon
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  4. José Roberto Machado Cunha Silva
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  9. Karina Fernandes Oliveira Rezende
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Correspondence to Mauricio Barlera Alves.

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Ethical Approval

The authors declare that all animals were collected under an ICMBio license (SISBIO n.30422) and in accordance to Brazilian legislation (BRASIL, 2014, 2015). This study was also approved by the USP Biomedical Institute Ethics Committee on Animal Use.

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Alves, M.B., Emerenciano, A.K., da Costa Bordon, I.C.A. et al. Biomonitoring Assessment of Toxic and Trace Elements in Sterechinus neumayeri Sea Urchins from the Comandante Ferraz Station in Antarctica. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 107, 11–19 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-021-03307-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-021-03307-3

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