Common toad Rhinella arenarum (Hensel, 1867) and its importance in assessing environmental health: test of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities in erythrocytes

Environ Monit Assess. 2015 Sep;187(9):581. doi: 10.1007/s10661-015-4802-1. Epub 2015 Aug 22.

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities may generate significant changes in the integrity of aquatic ecosystems, so long-term monitoring of populations that inhabit them is crucial. Counting micronucleated erythrocytes (MN) and erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENA) in peripheral blood is a widely used method for detecting chromosomal damage due to chemical agents in the water. We analyzed MN and ENA frequency in blood obtained from the common toad Rhinella arenarum populations in sites with different degrees of environmental degradation. The results of this study indicate that there is an association between the frequency of micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities and the degree of environmental alteration recorded for the sites studied.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bufonidae / blood*
  • Cell Nucleus / drug effects
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Erythrocytes / drug effects*
  • Female
  • Male
  • Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / chemically induced*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity*

Substances

  • Water Pollutants, Chemical