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Updated: Nov 1, 2025

Ecotoxicological Methodologies to Evaluate Biomarkers at Different Scales in Neotropical Anurans
Published on: April 28, 2023
Effects of trophic 2,2', 4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) exposure in Oreochromis niloticus: A multiple
Joelma Leão-Buchir1, Nilce Mary Turcatti Folle2, Tugstênio Lima de Souza2
1Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 19031, CEP 81531-970, Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Departamento de Toxicologia Molecular e Ambiente, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (CB-UEM), Maputo, Mozambique.
Abstract:
Polybrominated diphenyl esters are emerging environmental contaminants with few toxicological data, being a concern for the scientific community. This study evaluated the effects of BDE-47 on the health of Oreochromis niloticus fish. The animals were exposed to three doses of BDE-47 (0, 0.253, 2.53, 25.3 ng g-1) every 10 days, for 80 days. The BDE-47 affected the hepatosomatic and gonadosomatic index in female and the condition factor by intermediate dose in both sexes. The levels of estradiol decreased and the T4 are increased, but the vitellogenin production was not modulated in male individuals. Changes in AChE, GST, LPO and histopathology were observed while the integrated biomarker response index suggests that the lowest dose of BDE-47 compromised the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The oral exposure to BDE-47 in environmental concentrations is toxic to O. niloticus and the use of multiple biomarkers is an attribution in ecotoxicology studies and biomonitoring programs.

