Avaliação da ecotoxicidade das águas e dos sedimentos do rio Chopim no Refúgio de Vida Silvestre dos Campos de Palmas, Paraná e seu entorno

Abstract

The Campos de Palmas Wildlife Refuge (RVS-CP) is an Integral Protection Conservation Unit (UC), formed by private properties, where activities such as agriculture and forestry are developed. This UC is home to springs in the Chopim River basin, an important source of water supply in the region. Thus, the objective of the present work was to analyze the physicochemical parameters and the levels of estrogen hormones, agrochemicals and metals in water and sediment samples from the Chopim River, in the RVS-CP region. Furthermore, use different bioindicators, such as Artemia salina L., for the immobility/mortality test; Eisenia fetida, by the escape test, Allium cepa L., by the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity test; and human liver cells in vitro, using the MTT cytotoxicity test; to evaluate the quality of the waters and sediments of this River. The samples were collected at seven points: N1, N2 and N3 (three springs within the RVS-CP), P1, P2 and P3 (points of the Chopim River within the RVS-CP) and P4 (point outside the RVS-CP). Regarding the sample results, points N1 and N2 of the Chopim River were the points that showed the most abnormalities. At point N1, the water samples showed irregularities in the parameters of dissolved oxygen and BOD5, in addition to the presence of the hormones estrone and ethinyl estradiol. The sediments contained high levels of zinc and were contaminated with Tebuconazole, Thiamethoxam, Trifloxystrobin and Carbendazim. In terms of bioindicators, A. salina indicated toxicity in sediment, and Huh7.5 cells showed cytotoxicity in both water and sediment. At point N2, the water samples showed non-standard values for color and manganese, and the presence of estrone. Sediments also showed elevated levels of zinc and contamination by Tebuconazole, Thiamethoxam, Trifloxystrobin and Carbendazim, and E. fetida demonstrated escape behavior in both water and sediment. These results suggest that points N1 and N2 are critical areas with more anomalies in physicochemical parameters, metals, agrochemicals, hormones, and adverse responses to bioindicators. Thus, the conclusions of this research highlight the relevance of employing different organisms in observing the quality of the environment. They also suggest the adoption of educational and preventive actions in the RVS-CP, aiming to mitigate the identified toxic impacts and ensure the preservation of this UC and the water resources arising from it.