Análise de alterações nucleares em Astyanax bimaculatus (Actinopterygii: Characidae) exposto a Atrazina (ATZ)

Abstract

Atrazine (ATZ) is a triazine herbicide used to control weeds. The spraying of this chemical compound in agricultural production releases large quantities of products into the terrestrial environment, which with rain and wind reach the aquatic environment. Different concentrations of this herbicide can cause genotoxic effects in fish, such as the formation of micronuclei (MN). MN is the result of the formation of chromosome fragments in the nucleus of blood cells, causing loss of genetic information during the cell division process. The present work evaluated the genotoxic effects, through the MN test and other nuclear changes in erythrocytes in the fish species Astyanax aff bimaculatus (yellow-tailed lambari) exposed to the herbicide ATZ. The organisms were divided into three groups: 1 – control group, without exposure; 2 - group exposed to concentrations of 0.2 µg/L of ATZ and 3 - group exposed to concentrations of 1.8 µg/L of ATZ. These concentrations are considered environmentally relevant. Data analysis was performed using Kruskall-Wallis and Spearman correlation. Jamovi software was used and a significance level of 95% was adopted. The ATZ-based herbicide at the concentrations used in the present study did not cause genotoxic effects on the fish species Astyanax bimaculatus. Despite this result, it is important to highlight the continued need for environmental monitoring and risk assessment, especially considering the potential cumulative effects of long-term exposure.