Heavy Metal Contamination in Phrynops geoffroanus (Schweigger, 1812) (Testudines: Chelidae) in a River Basin, So Paulo, Brazil

Autor(es)

Pina, C. I. ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Lance, V. A. ^[4] ; Ferronato, B. O. ^[1] ; Guardia, I. ^[1] ; Marques, T. S. ^[1] ; Verdade, L. M. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, ESALQ, LCB, Anim Ecol Lab, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] UNER FCAl, Yacare Project, RA-3105 Diamante, Entre Rios - Argentina

^[3] Consejo Nacl Invest Cient & Tecn, CIC & TTP, UAdER FCyT, RA-3105 Diamante, Entre Rios - Argentina

^[4] San Diego State Univ, Grad Sch Publ Hlth, San Diego, CA 92182 - USA

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; v. 83, n. 6, p. 771-775, DEC 2009.
• Citações Web of Science: 12

Resumo

The Piracicaba River basin is considered the most disturbed river basin in the state of São Paulo. Considerable amounts of agricultural residues are seasonally drained into the river, and the region is also highly urbanized and industrialized with an incipient sewage treatment system. The presence of heavy metals has been previously reported for the water and riverbed in Piracicaba river basin. In this study we evaluated 13 heavy metals in the blood of 37 Geoffroy's side-necked turtles, Phrynops geoffroanus, from Piracicaba River and Piracicamirim Creek, one of its tributaries. Blood levels of As, Co, Cr, Se and Pb varied among sites, whereas Sn varied between males and females. However, no obvious pathology was detected. Serum level of Cu (2,194 ng g(-1)) and Pb (1,150 ng g(-1)) found in this study are the highest ever described for any reptile; however, no clinical symptoms have been detected in the present study. There is no information about the time scale of such contamination, which could be currently subclinical and yet lead to a breakdown in the population reproductive success in a few years. Based on the present study, legal enforcement is urged in order to locate and extirpate heavy metal sources in the Piracicaba River basin. In addition, monitoring should include humans and commercial fish consumed in local markets. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 05/00210-9 - Uso de habitat, área de vida e ecologia alimentar do cágado Phrynops geoffroanus (Schweigger, 1812) em ambientes antrópicos da região central do estado de São Paulo
• Beneficiário: Luciano Martins Verdade
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular