Assessment of water quality and concentration of heavy metals in fishes in the estuary of the Perizes River, Gulf of Maranhão, Brazil

Keila Fernanda de Melo Albuquerque; Marcelo Henrique Lopes Silva; James Werllen de Jesus Azevedo; Leonardo Silva Soares; Arkley Marques Bandeira; Luciana Amorim Soares; Antonio Carlos Leal de Castro

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114420

Assessment of water quality and concentration of heavy metals in fishes in the estuary of the Perizes River, Gulf of Maranhão, Brazil

Mar Pollut Bull. 2023 Jan;186:114420. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114420. Epub 2022 Dec 1.

Authors

Keila Fernanda de Melo Albuquerque¹, Marcelo Henrique Lopes Silva², James Werllen de Jesus Azevedo², Leonardo Silva Soares³, Arkley Marques Bandeira², Luciana Amorim Soares², Antonio Carlos Leal de Castro⁴

Affiliations

¹ Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Madre Deus Square, 2, 2nd floor, Madre Deus, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
² Postgraduate Program in Development and Environment, Department of Oceanography and Limnology, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Avenue of Portugueses 1966, Bacanga, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
³ Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Madre Deus Square, 2, 2nd floor, Madre Deus, São Luís, MA, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Development and Environment, Department of Oceanography and Limnology, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Avenue of Portugueses 1966, Bacanga, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
⁴ Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Madre Deus Square, 2, 2nd floor, Madre Deus, São Luís, MA, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Development and Environment, Department of Oceanography and Limnology, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), Avenue of Portugueses 1966, Bacanga, São Luís, MA, Brazil. Electronic address: alec@ufma.br.

PMID: 36463717
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114420

Abstract

The present study evaluated physicochemical and microbiological variables of the water in the estuary of the Perizes River in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, heavy metal levels in the muscle tissue of fish species (Genyatremus luteus, Macrodon ancylodon, Sciades herzbergii and Mugil curema). Data were collected bimonthly between Nov 2017 and May 2018. Physicochemical variables of the water (pH, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity). The microbiological analysis of the water was performed using the multiple-tube method. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used for the determination of heavy metals in muscle tissue of the fishes. The results revealed minor fluctuations in the environmental variables, with the exception of turbidity. The microbiological quality of the water was associated with acceptable bacterial levels. Regarding heavy metals, acceptable concentrations were found of Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni and Hg, whereas Cr and Pb were found at concentrations higher than the maximum.

Keywords: Bacteria; Biomonitor; Contamination; Monitoring; Muscle tissue; Toxicity.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Brazil
Catfishes*
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Estuaries
Fishes
Metals, Heavy* / analysis
Rivers
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis
Water Quality

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Metals, Heavy