Integrated biomarker response index using a Neotropical fish to assess the water quality in agricultural areas

Aquatic ecosystems in areas with intense agricultural activity are subject to pesticide contamination, which may compromise the health of the fish. In order to verify the quality of the water and the possible effects of pesticides on fish, a method that combines different biomarker responses into an index named "integrated biomarker response" (IBR) was applied using the biological alterations in the Neotropical fish Astyanax altiparanae. Fish were maintained in situ at five sites along a stream that runs in an agricultural area and in a stream within a forest fragment, considered a reference site. After seven days of exposure the following alterations were observed in fish confined at experimental sites: increased activity of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) and increase in the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) in liver and gills, reduction of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the brain and muscle, increase in the occurrence of DNA strand breaks and in the frequency of micronuclei (MN) and nuclear abnormalities (ENA) in erythrocytes. The IBR highlighted three sites as the most affected, as the animals confined at these sites showed greater variations in biological responses. The biomarkers most important for the IBR results were GST, AChE, DNA breaks and ENA. Ecossistemas aquaticos inseridos em areas com intensa atividade agrmcola estco susceptmveis ` contaminagco por pesticidas, os quais podem comprometer a sazde dos peixes. A fim de verificar a qualidade da agua e os possmveis efeitos de pesticidas sobre peixes, um mitodo integrando o uso de diferentes biomarcadores, denominado mndice integrado de respostas de biomarcadores (IBR), foi aplicado utilizando-se as alteragues biolsgicas avaliadas em varios srgcos do peixe neotropical Astyanax altiparanae. Os peixes foram confinados in situ em cinco pontos ao longo de um ribeirco localizado em area de produgco agrmcola e em um csrrego dentro de um fragmento florestal, considerado um local de referjncia. Apss sete dias foram observadas as seguintes alteragues nos peixes confinados nos pontos experimentais: aumento da atividade da glutationa-S-transferase (GST) e catalase (CAT) e aumento do contezdo de glutationa-reduzida (GSH) em fmgado e brbnquias, redugco da atividade da acetilcolinesterase (AChE) no mzsculo e cirebro, aumento de quebras no DNA e na frequjncia de micronzcleos (MN) e alteragues nucleares (ENA) em eritrscitos. O IBR destacou trjs dos pontos estudados como os mais afet