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Silva JGD, Chagas CA, Souza TGDS, Araújo MCD, Araújo LCAD, Santos AMM, Sá RADQCD, Alves RBDO, Rodrigues RHA, Silva HPD, Malafaia G, Bezerra RDS, Oliveira MBMD. Using structural equation modeling to assess the genotoxic and mutagenic effects of heavy metal contamination in the freshwater ecosystems: A study involving Oreochromis niloticus in an urban river. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 913:169529. [PMID: 38160826 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Chemical pollutants represent a leading problem for aquatic ecosystems, as they can induce genetic, biochemical, and physiological changes in the species of these ecosystems, thus compromising their adaptability and survival. The Capibaribe River runs through the state of Pernambuco, located in Northeastern Brazil, and passes through areas of agricultural cultivation, densely populated cities, and industrial centers, primarily textiles. Despite its importance, few ecotoxicological studies have been conducted on its environment, and knowledge about pollution patterns and their effects on its biota is still being determined. The objective of this study was to evaluate the water quality and the damage supposed to be caused by pollutants on the DNA specimens of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) obtained from seven strategic points of Capibaribe. Tilapia specimens and water were collected during the rainy and dry seasons from 2015 to 2017. The following characteristics were analyzed: physicochemical (six), metal concentration (seven), local pluviosity, micronuclei, and comet assay. The physicochemical and heavy metal analyses were exploratory, whereas the ecotoxicological analyses were hypothetical. To verify this hypothesis, we compared the groups of fish collected to the results of the micronuclei test and comet assay. We created a Structural Equation Model (SEM) to determine how each metal's micronuclei variables, damage index, pluviosity, and concentration were related. Our results demonstrated that the highest values for markers of genetic damage were detected at points with the highest heavy metal concentrations, especially iron, zinc, manganese, chromium, and cadmium. The SEM demonstrated that metals could explain the findings of the genotoxicity markers. Moreover, other pollutants, such as pesticides, should be considered, mainly where the river passes through rural areas. The results presented here demonstrate that the Capibaribe River has different degrees of contamination and confirm our hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordany Gomes da Silva
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Cristiano Aparecido Chagas
- Laboratório de Ciências Morfológicas e Moleculares, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE - CAV), Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, Brazil.
| | | | - Marlyete Chagas de Araújo
- Laboratório de Enzimologia, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | | | - André Maurício Melo Santos
- Laboratório de Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE - CAV), Vitória de Santo Antão, PE, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Rosner Henrique Alves Rodrigues
- Instituto para Redução de Riscos e Desastres de Pernambuco -IRRD, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco - UFRPE, Núcleo de Geoprocessamento e Sensoriamento Remoto - GEOSERE, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Hernande Pereira da Silva
- Instituto para Redução de Riscos e Desastres - IRRD/UFRPE, Núcleo de Geoprocessamento e Sensoriamento Remoto - GEOSERE/UFRPE, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Guilherme Malafaia
- Laboratory of Toxicology Applied to the Environment, Goiano Federal Institute, Urutaí Campus, Rodovia Geraldo Silva Nascimento, 2.5 km, Zona Rural, Urutaí, GO, Brazil.
| | - Ranilson de Souza Bezerra
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Bioquímica, Laboratório de Enzimologia, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Maria Betânia Melo de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, Recife, PE, Brazil.
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