Investigating genotoxic and reproductive effects in marine amphipods

Author(s)

Marina Tenorio Botelho

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto Oceanográfico (IO/DIDC)
• Defense date: 2022-02-07

Examining board members

Vicente Gomes; Paula Suares Rocha; Jose Roberto Machado Cunha da Silva; Alexander Turra

• Advisor: Vicente Gomes; Gisela de Aragão Umbuzeiro

Abstract

Marine environment is considered to be a sink of contaminants, mainly of anthropic origin, therefore the need of developing new models and techniques to evaluate the impact of these compounds in the environment is increasingly. Amphipods are a group of crustaceans that have great importance in the ecosystem functioning and are commonly used in ecotoxicological tests. In this work, genotoxicity assessment techniques were developed and optimized for marine amphipods and later applied with reproductive endpoints to assess impacts from emerging contaminants (silver nanoparticles and phthalates) and environmental quality. Parhyale hawaiensis was used to assess genotoxicity and Echinogammarus marinus to assess reproductive impacts. The optimization of the techniques for evaluating genotoxicity was initially performed with adjustments in the protocols that generated a good dose response effect after exposure to reference genotoxic agents and low levels of DNA damage in control conditions. After exposure to silver nanoparticles, a significant increase in micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities frequencies was observed with the increased of concentration and exposure period, but no DNA damage measured by comet assay was detected. Among the phthalates used, DEHP caused an increase in moulting occurrence, while DBP significantly decreased sperm counts. Regarding the comparison among sites with different pollution degrees, a significant reduction in sperm count of amphipods residing in areas considered polluted in relation to reference sites was observed. Furthermore, amphipods collected in an environment protected area showed similar sperm counts to polluted areas. The techniques used in this work proved to be effective to evaluate amphipods physiological state in both laboratory and field studies. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/16168-9 - Study of techniques for evaluation of cytogoxotoxic and histopathological effects in amphipods Parhyale hawaiensis fed with silver nanoparticles
• Grantee: Marina Tenório Botelho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate