Hydropower reservoirs: cytotoxic and genotoxic assessment using the Allium cepa root model

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2017-03, Vol.24 (9), p.8759-8768
• Main Authors: Rambo, Cassiano Lazarotto, Zanotelli, Patrícia, Dalegrave, Daniela, De Nez, Dinara, Szczepanik, Jozimar, Carazek, Fábio, Franscescon, Francini, Rosemberg, Denis Broock, Siebel, Anna Maria, Magro, Jacir Dal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aberration; Abnormalities; Agrochemicals; Allium cepa; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Atrazine; Brazil; Cadmium; Chromosome aberrations; Chromosome Aberrations - chemically induced; Cytotoxicity; Dam construction; Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecological effects; Ecological monitoring; Ecotoxicology; Elutriation; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Genotoxicity; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Germination; Heavy metals; Herbicides; Hydroelectric plants; Hydroelectric power; Impact analysis; Incidence; Insecticides; Lead; Metal concentrations; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Methyl parathion; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective - chemically induced; Micronucleus Tests; Mitotic Index; Onions - drug effects; Onions - genetics; Parathion; Pesticide Residues - analysis; Pesticide Residues - toxicity; Pesticides; Plant Roots - drug effects; Plant Roots - genetics; Power Plants; Research Article; Reservoir construction; Reservoirs; Rivers; Rivers - chemistry; Sediments; Seed germination; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water Pollution Control; Wildlife
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-8509-4

Hydropower offers a reliable source of electricity in several countries, and Brazil supplies its energy needs almost entirely through hydropower plants. Nevertheless, hydropower plants comprise large buildings and water reservoirs and dams, resulting in huge ecological disruptions. Here, we analyzed the impact of four hydropower reservoirs construction in metals and pesticides incidence and the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of sediment elutriate of rivers from southern Brazil. Our analyses have evidenced the elevated incidence of different metals (lead, iron, cadmium, and chrome) and pesticides (methyl parathion, atrazine, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid). We showed that Allium cepa exposed to sediment elutriates did not change the seed germination rate and mitotic index. However, roots from Allium cepa exposed to reservoirs sediment elutriates showed increased occurrence of chromosomal aberrations and nuclear abnormalities. Therefore, the results obtained in our study indicate that sediment from reservoirs present elevated concentration of metals and pesticides and a significant genotoxic potential. Taken together, our data support that hydropower reservoirs represent an environmental scenario that could impact surrounding wildlife and population.