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Common toad Rhinella arenarum (Hensel, 1867) and its importance in assessing environmental health: test of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities in erythrocytes

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Abstract

Anthropogenic activities may generate significant changes in the integrity of aquatic ecosystems, so long-term monitoring of populations that inhabit them is crucial. Counting micronucleated erythrocytes (MN) and erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENA) in peripheral blood is a widely used method for detecting chromosomal damage due to chemical agents in the water. We analyzed MN and ENA frequency in blood obtained from the common toad Rhinella arenarum populations in sites with different degrees of environmental degradation. The results of this study indicate that there is an association between the frequency of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities and the degree of environmental alteration recorded for the sites studied.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was provided by SECyT-UNRC (Grant PPI 18/C416) and FONCyT (Grant PICT 2012–0932). We thank the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Argentina for fellowship granted and Audrey Wilson for English Editing Service. The investigation was conducted according to the state law “Protection and Conservation of Wild Fauna” (Argentina National Law No. 22.421). Our study was authorized by the Agencia Córdoba Ambiente (A.C.A.S.E.) and Secretaría de Ambiente del Gobierno de Córdoba.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Favio E. Pollo, Clarisa L. Bionda, Zulma A. Salinas, Nancy E. Salas & Adolfo L. Martino

  2. Ecología-Educación Ambiental, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, UNRC, Ruta Nacional N° 36-km 601, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina

    Favio E. Pollo, Clarisa L. Bionda & Zulma A. Salinas

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  1. Favio E. Pollo
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Pollo, F.E., Bionda, C.L., Salinas, Z.A. et al. Common toad Rhinella arenarum (Hensel, 1867) and its importance in assessing environmental health: test of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities in erythrocytes. Environ Monit Assess 187, 581 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4802-1

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