Macroinvertebrados bentônicos e contaminação por microplásticos em ambientes de qualidade de água contrastantes da bacia do médio Rio Tietê (SP, Brasil)
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2023-07-14
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Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
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A contaminação do ambiente aquático por resíduos de plástico, especialmente microplásticos (MPs), tornou-se uma preocupação global. Neste estudo, investigamos a presença de MPs no sedimento da bacia hidrográfica do médio rio Tietê, considerado um dos rios mais poluídos do Brasil. Para fins comparativos, analisamos um tributário do, o rio do Peixe, que não sofre influência de poluição urbana, e uma lagoa marginal do Tietê, que pode atuar como depósito de MPs devido à sua hidrodinâmica limitada e conexão restrita com o rio. O objetivo foi avaliar o grau de contaminação por MPs nos sedimentos desses locais e investigar a possível ingestão dessas partículas pelos macroinvertebrados bentônicos, os quais colonizam os sedimentos de fundo permanentemente ou durante parte do seu ciclo de vida, podendo ser afetados diretamente por esse tipo de poluição. Observações anteriores têm relatado a ingestão de MPs por uma variedade de organismos aquáticos, mas os impactos dessa ingestão ainda são pouco compreendidos. Além disso, há uma escassez de estudos sobre a interação entre os macroinvertebrados e as partículas plásticas presentes no ambiente. Portanto, este estudo visa trazer novas informações a respeito dessa relação. Os MPs foram encontrados em todas as amostras de sedimento analisadas e em concentrações nunca antes vista em outros estudos envolvendo rios de grande porte e influenciados por grandes centros urbanos. Com relação aos macroinvertebrados, apenas uma partícula ingerida foi quimicamente identificada como plástico, “poliéster”, mas mais de 70 fibras foram identificadas como celulose possivelmente de origem sintética. Isso representa uma ameaça para esses organismos e para as cadeias alimentares aquáticas, pois ainda não se sabe quais os possíveis impactos dessas partículas sobre os organismos aquáticos e se existe a possibilidade de elas serem incorporados nas cadeias alimentares.
Contamination of the aquatic environment by plastic waste, especially microplastics (MPs), has become a global concern. In this study, we investigated the presence of MPs in the sediment of the middle Tietê river basin, considered one of the most polluted rivers in Brazil. For comparative purposes, we analyzed a tributary of the river, the Peixe River, which is not influenced by urban polution, and a marginal lagoon on the Tietê, which can act as a MP deposit due to its limited hydrodynamics and restricted connection with the river. The objective was to evaluate the degree of contamination by MPs in sediments from these sites and to investigate the possible ingestion of these particles by benthic macroinvertebrates, which colonize bottom sediments permanently or during part of their life cycle and may be directly affected by this type of pollution. Previous observations have reported the ingestion of MPs by a variety of aquatic organisms, but the effects of this ingestion are still poorly understood. In addition, there is a scarcity of studies on the interaction between macroinvertebrates and plastic particles present in the environment. Therefore, this study aims to bring new information about this relationship. MPs were found in all sediment samples analyzed and in concentrations never before seen in other studies involving large rivers and influenced by large urban centers. With regard to macroinvertebrates, only one ingested particle was chemically identified as plastic, "polyester", however over than 70 fibers were identified as cellulose possibly of synthetic origin. This represents a threat to these organisms and to aquatic food chains, as it is still unknown what the possible impacts of these particles on aquatic organisms are and whether there is any possibility of them being incorporated into food chains.
Contamination of the aquatic environment by plastic waste, especially microplastics (MPs), has become a global concern. In this study, we investigated the presence of MPs in the sediment of the middle Tietê river basin, considered one of the most polluted rivers in Brazil. For comparative purposes, we analyzed a tributary of the river, the Peixe River, which is not influenced by urban polution, and a marginal lagoon on the Tietê, which can act as a MP deposit due to its limited hydrodynamics and restricted connection with the river. The objective was to evaluate the degree of contamination by MPs in sediments from these sites and to investigate the possible ingestion of these particles by benthic macroinvertebrates, which colonize bottom sediments permanently or during part of their life cycle and may be directly affected by this type of pollution. Previous observations have reported the ingestion of MPs by a variety of aquatic organisms, but the effects of this ingestion are still poorly understood. In addition, there is a scarcity of studies on the interaction between macroinvertebrates and plastic particles present in the environment. Therefore, this study aims to bring new information about this relationship. MPs were found in all sediment samples analyzed and in concentrations never before seen in other studies involving large rivers and influenced by large urban centers. With regard to macroinvertebrates, only one ingested particle was chemically identified as plastic, "polyester", however over than 70 fibers were identified as cellulose possibly of synthetic origin. This represents a threat to these organisms and to aquatic food chains, as it is still unknown what the possible impacts of these particles on aquatic organisms are and whether there is any possibility of them being incorporated into food chains.
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Bioindicadores, Eutrofização, Oligochaeta, Poluição, Recursos hídricos, Bioindicators, Eutrophication, Pollution, Water resources, Branchiura sowerbyi, Contaminantes emergentes, Emerging contaminants, FTIR