Ecotoxicological assessment of effluents from Brazilian wastewater treatment plants using zebrafish embryotoxicity test: A multi-biomarker approach

Effluent from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) remains one of the major pollutants of aquatic environments; however, knowledge about its ecotoxic effects at fish early life stages is limited. The ecotoxicity of effluent from Brazilian WWTPs was herein analyzed based on responses of multiple biomarkers in the zebrafish embryotoxicity test (ZET). Ecotoxicity was analyzed based on mortality rate, hatching rate, spontaneous movement rate (neurotoxicity), heart rate (cardiotoxicity), frequency of morphological changes and morphometric parameters during 144 h exposure time. Results showed that embryos exposed to affluent and effluent presented high mortality rate and delayed hatching rate, as well as changes in morphometric parameters. Exposed embryos also showed physiological, sensory, skeletal and muscular changes, which confirms that the ecotoxic effect of WWTPs effluent is systemic and associated with the presence of several pollutants, even at low concentrations (mixture toxicity). The present study is pioneer in using responses of multiple biomarkers in ZET as suitable approach to assess the ecotoxicity of WWTPs effluent in developing countries, as well as to add value and contribute to studies on WWTPs worldwide. Zebrafish is a suitable vertebrate model to assess the ecotoxicity of WWTP effluent. [Display omitted] •WWTP effluent induced systemic toxicity on zebrafish embryos.•WWTP effluent decreased survival and hatching rate in zebrafish embryos.•WWTP effluent changed morphometric parameters in zebrafish larvae.•Multiple biomarker approach in zebrafish applied in WWTP biomonitoring.