Study on Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as mercury pollution bioindicators at Parque Ibirapuera and Parque Ecológico do Tietê lakes at Greater São Paulo

• Grant number: 11/16305-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Lilian Rose Marques de Sá
• Grantee: Maria Eugenia Carretero
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Sao Paulo is the main financial, corporate and commercial Latin America and the third largest urban agglomeration in the world. In this conurbation is evident the expansion of industrial activity and heavy traffic of motor vehicles that collectively contribute to the constant accumulation of pollutants in the environment (Rajeshkumar and Munuswamy, 2011). Studies have shown that the level of environmental pollution in this urban-industrial centers represent a risk factor for human health (Iannitti et al., 2010). Thus, given the importance to public health many countries are trying to adjust protective measures, particularly the biomonitoring. Especially, in São Paulo there are still remaining areas of vegetation that are part of the Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic, recognized by the Man and Biosphere program of UNESCO, which constitute the habitat of several endangered species including neotropical primates. In this context it is relevant to the study of Neotropical primates that can be used as biomonitors because of their phylogenetic proximity to man. Therefore, this case is relevant to study the primates as biomonitors to correlate the pollutants released by human activities with the tissue damage can lead to morbid manifestations. The objective of this project is to determine the levels of lead, mercury and cadmium in liver tissue of free-living neotropical primates, and correlate these metals with diseases affecting the free animals occurring in polluted ecosystem in São Paulo. To do this, will be use epidemiologic factors, autopsy, histological quantification of heavy metals in liver and assessment of DNA damage by Cometa test to define the cause of death and characterize the disease process linking them to the effects of local pollution during July 2011 to July 2012. (AU)

Academic Publications

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

CARRETERO, Maria Eugenia. Study on Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as mercury pollution bioindicators at Parque Ibirapuera and Parque Ecológico do Tietê lakes at Greater São Paulo. 2012. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) São Paulo.