Micropollutants impair the survival of Oreochromis niloticus and threat local species from Iguaçu River, Southern of Brazil.

Abstract The wastewater contamination of urban rivers is a concern for biodiversity and a consequence from poor urban conservation policies. In the current study, the impact of urban and industrial activities was investigated in Iguacu river (Southern Brazil) using juvenile Oreochromis niloticus, after trophic and chronic exposure (25, 50 and 100 %), over 81 days. After exposure liver, gills, gonads, brain, muscle, and blood were sampled for chemical, biochemical, histopathological, genotoxic and molecular analyses. Water levels of persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, polycyclic aromatics hydrocarbon (PAHs) and metals were investigated. The redox unbalance, histopathological and increase in vitellogenin expression in fish revealed both the bioavailability of micropollutants and their harmful effects. According to the results, the level of Iguacu river pollution negatively impacts the health of O. niloticus revealing and highlighting the risk of this pollution exposure to biota and human populations.