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Water mutagenic potential assessment on a semiarid aquatic ecosystem under influence of heavy metals and natural radioactivity using micronuclei test

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Abstract

The contamination of water bodies by heavy metals and ionizing radiation is a critical environmental issue, which can affect water quality and, thus, human health. This study aimed to evaluate the water quality of the Boqueirão de Parelhas Dam in the Brazilian semiarid region. A 1-year study (2013–2014) was performed through the assessment of physicochemical parameters, heavy metal content, and radioactivity along with the mutagenicity potential of water using micronuclei test in Orechromis niloticus (in vivo) and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay in human lymphocytes (in vitro). A deterioration of water organoleptics characteristics by the presence of high levels of sulfate and total solids was observed. High concentrations of aluminum, nickel, silver, and lead along with the alpha particle content were higher than the limits suggested by the World Health Organization and Brazilian legislation for drinking water. An increase in the frequency of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities was observed in both experimental models. The results obtained confirmed the mutagenic potential present in water samples. This study highlights that geogenic agents affect water quality becoming a human health concern to be taken into account due to the relevance that this water reservoir has in the region.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico (CNPq) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for the financial support of the research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Sen. Salgado Filho 3000, 59078-970, Natal, RN, Brazil

    Luiz Cláudio Cardozo Chaves, Julio Alejandro Navoni, Silvia Batistuzzo de Medeiros, Reinaldo Antônio Petta & Viviane Souza do Amaral

  2. Núcleo de Análises de águas, alimentos e efluentes, Instituto Federal de Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), Natal, Brazil

    Douglisnilson de Morais Ferreira

  3. Laboratório de Radioatividade Natural (LARANA), Departamento de Geologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil

    Thomas Ferreira da Costa

  4. Laboratório de Geomática e Ciências Ambientais (LAGEOMA), Departamento de Geologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil

    Reinaldo Antônio Petta

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  1. Luiz Cláudio Cardozo Chaves
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  2. Julio Alejandro Navoni
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  3. Douglisnilson de Morais Ferreira
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  4. Silvia Batistuzzo de Medeiros
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  5. Thomas Ferreira da Costa
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  7. Viviane Souza do Amaral
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Correspondence to Viviane Souza do Amaral.

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Chaves, L.C.C., Navoni, J.A., de Morais Ferreira, D. et al. Water mutagenic potential assessment on a semiarid aquatic ecosystem under influence of heavy metals and natural radioactivity using micronuclei test. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 7572–7581 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5993-2

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