Bruno Fiorelini Pereira; Anderson Luis Alves; José Algusto Senhorini; Rita de Cássia Gimenes de Alcântara Rocha; Dimítrius Leonardo Pitol & Flávio Henrique Caetano

Summary

Currently there is a growing concern, in both population and governments, to identify the effects of substances commonly disposed of into rivers and lakes, on aquatic fauna and flora. Thus the objective of the present study was to verify effects of biodegradable detergents and water from an urban lake on gills and liver of two neotropical fish species of great economic importance, Astyanax altiparanae and Prochilodus lineatus. In order to do so, lipofuscin, also called the ageing pigment, was used as bioindicator. After one and five months of experiment both tissues accumulated this pigment. These data are discussed from physiological points of view, related with lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial damage.

KEY WORDS: Lipofuscin; Liver; Gill; Prochilodus; Astyanax.

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