Assessment of water quality of the Piracicaba River (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and effects of vinasse to aquatic organisms before and after pH correction

• Grant number: 10/04756-4
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2010
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Valdemar Luiz Tornisielo
• Grantee: Rafael Grossi Botelho
• Home Institution: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 12/05671-8 - Interaction of fungicide and temperature on larval amphibians growth and metamosphosis, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

An assessment of water quality of the Piracicaba River was performed using different methodologies and organisms, and therefore, from February 2011 to January 2012 water samples were collected at six sampling sites along the Piracicaba River. Physical chemical parameters of the water were measured and demonstred low water quality according to the conductivity and biochemical oxygen in places close to Americana and Piracicaba. Effects on the reproduction of Ceriodaphinia dubia and Ceriodaphnia silvestrii were observed in February and March 2011, and January 2012 and occurred in samples collected close to Americana and Piracicaba cities. Evaluation of the gills of Danio rerio showed no significant difference during all months, except in February, September and October for some locations. During the study period, water samples collected in all sampling sites and months presented values of chlorophyll a below the limit set by the Brazilian environmental law. Water collected in October and November and those sampled at points 3 and 4 presented higher values of throfic state index than the other sites and months, however, were not classified as euthrofic. Concentrations of atrazine and ametrine during the sampling period were also measured and ranged from 0.11 to 1.92 µg*L-1 and from 0.25 to 1.44 µg*L-1, respectively, and showed genotoxic and mutagenic potentials to D. rerio. A study evaluating the acute toxicity of vinasse before and after the pH correction was conducted due to the influence of sugar cane cultures on the Piracicaba River area. The results confirmed the high acute toxicity of vinasse to aquatic organisms, however, this can be reduced by correcting its pH to 6.5.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BOTELHO, R. G.; MONTEIRO, S. H.; CHRISTOFOLETTI, C. A.; MOURA-ANDRADE, G. C. R.; TORNISIELO, V. L. Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Atrazine and Ametrine Induce Micronuclei Formation and Nuclear Abnormalities in Erythrocytes of Fish. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, v. 69, n. 4, p. 577-585, NOV 2015. Web of Science Citations: 8.

BOTELHO, R. G.; ROSSI, M. L.; MARANHO, L. A.; OLINDA, R. A.; TORNISIELO, V. L. Evaluation of surface water quality using an ecotoxicological approach: a case study of the Piracicaba River (So Paulo, Brazil). Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 20, n. 7, p. 4382-4395, JUL 2013. Web of Science Citations: 5.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

BOTELHO, Rafael Grossi. Avaliação da qualidade da água do rio Piracicaba (SP) e efeito da vinhaça para os organismos aquáticos antes e após a correção do pH. 2013. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura Piracicaba.