Potential use of planarians for environmental contaminants evaluation

Author(s)

Alyson Rogério Ribeiro

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Limeira, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Tecnologia
• Defense date: 2012-10-19

Examining board members

Gisela de Aragão Umbuzeiro; Paula Suares Rocha; Cassiana Maria Reganhan Coneglian

• Advisor: Gisela de Aragão Umbuzeiro

Abstract

Freshwater planarians are worldwide distributed, have biological plasticity and a unique body regenerative capacity. They are easily maintained under laboratorial conditions and are sensitive for several compounds. For these reasons they have been used in ecotoxicological testing although the lack of national or international guidelines. This research aimed to verify the potential use of freshwater planarians (Girardia tigrina) in mortality and regeneration delay endpoints to assess the toxicity of environmental contaminants using standardized protocols. The culture sensitivity of G. tigrina was monitored with zinc, which was the most suitable substance for this purpose, providing responses in only 24h. The adopted protocols for regeneration and mortality tests were efficient to assess the adverse effects of the chemical agents (copper, an azo textile dye, atrazine), carbon nanotubes and wastewater and water samples from Carioba WWTP and Cristais River. The regeneration test was the most sensitive endpoint and all analyzed substances showed toxicity for planarians, except carbon nanotubes. The methods adopted in this research can be used as basis for the development of a testing guideline using freshwater planarians (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/12737-2 - DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDIZED PROTOCOL FOR CONDUCTING THE TEST OF ACUTE TOXICITY AND TERATOGENICITY USING PLANARIANS (Girardia tigrina)
• Grantee: Alyson Rogério Ribeiro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master