Effect of acute exposure to settleable atmospheric particulate matter emitted by the steel industry on hematology and innate immunity of fat snook (Centropomus parallelus).

The steel industry is a significant worldwide source of atmospheric particulate matter (PM). Part of PM may settle (SePM) and deposit metal/metalloid and metallic nanoparticles in aquatic ecosystems. However, such an air-to-water cross-contamination is not observed by most monitoring agencies. The region of Vitoria City is the main location of iron processing for exports in Brazil, and it has rivers, estuaries, and coastal areas affected by SePM. We have evaluated the effects of SePM on a local representative fish species, the fat snook, Centropomus parallelus. After acclimation, 48 fishes (61.67 ± 27.83 g) were individually exposed for 96 h to diverse levels of SePM (0.0, 0.01, 0.1 and 1 g/L-1). The presence of metals in the blood and several blood biomarkers were analyzed to evaluate the impact of SePM on stress signaling, blood oxygen transport capacity, and innate immune activity. Metal bioaccumulation was measured from blood in two separately analyzed compartments: intracellular (erythrocytes plus white blood cells) and extracellular (plasma). The major metals present at all contamination levels in both compartments were Fe and Zn, followed by Al and Cu, plus traces of 'Emerging metals': Ba, Ce, La, Rb, Se, Sr, and Ti. Emerging metals refer to those that have recently been identified in water as contaminants, encompassing rare earth elements and critical technology elements, as documented in previous studies (See REEs and TCEs in Cobelo-García et al., 2015; Batley et al., 2022). Multivariate analysis revealed that SePM had strong, dose-dependent correlations with all biomarker groups and indicated that blood oxygen-carrying capacity had the highest contamination responsiveness. Metal contamination also increased cortisol and blood glucose levels, attesting to increased stress signaling, and had a negative effect on innate immune activity. Knowledge of the risks related to SePM contamination remains rudimentary. However, the fact that there was metal bioaccumulation, causing impairment of fundamental physiological and cellular processes in this ecologically relevant fish species, consumed by the local human population, highlights the pressing need for further monitoring and eventual control of SePM contamination.

Metalliferous atmospheric settleable particulate matter action on the fat snook fish (Centropomus parallelus): Metal bioaccumulation, antioxidant responses and histological changes in gills, hepatopancreas and kidneys.

Metallic smoke released by steel industries is constitute by a mixture of fine and gross particles containing metals, including the emerging ones, which sedimentation contaminates soil and aquatic ecosystems and put in risk the resident biota. This study determined the metal/metalloids in the atmospheric settleable particulate matter (SePM, particles >10 µm) from a metallurgical industrial area and evaluated metal bioconcentration, antioxidant responses, oxidative stress, and the histopathology in the gills, hepatopancreas and kidneys of fat snook fish (Centropomus parallelus) exposed to different concentrations of SePM (0.0, 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 g L-1), for 96 h. From the 27 metals (Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Ba, La, Ce, W, Hg, Pb, Bi) analyzed, 18 were quantified in SePM and dissolved in seawater. Metal bioconcentrations differed among organs; Fe and Zn were the metals most bioconcentrated in all organs, Fe was higher in hepatopancreas and Zn > Fe > Sr > Al was higher in kidneys. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased in the gills; SOD, catalase (CAT) decreased, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) increased in hepatopancreas and, CAT, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and the level of glutathione (GSH) increased in kidneys. The unchanged levels of lipid peroxidation and oxidized protein in any organ indicate that the antioxidant responses were efficient to avoid oxidative stress. Organ lesion indices were higher in the gills > kidneys > hepatopancreas, being higher in fish exposed to 0.01 g L-1 SePM. All changes indicate a tissue-specific metal/metalloids bioconcentration, antioxidant and morphological responses that all together compromise fish health. Regulatory normative are needed to control the emission of these metalliferous PM to preserve the environment and biota.

Diet of two sit-and-wait lizards, Phyllopezus pollicaris (Spix, 1825) (Phyllodactylidae) and Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnès, 1818) (Gekkonidae) in a perianthropic area of Mato Grosso do Sul, western Brazil

The dietary compositions of two sit-and-wait lizard species, Hemidactylus mabouia and Phyllopezus pollicaris, which co-occur over rocky substrate and vertical rock walls in a perianthropic area of western Brazil, were described. Both species showed a generalist feeding pattern, feeding mainly on insects. The most frequent prey items in the diet of P. pollicaris were Coleoptera, Araneae and Homoptera whereas the most important were Coleoptera and Homoptera, respectively. For H. mabouia the most frequent prey items were Araneae followed by Coleopterae and Hemiptera, whereas the most important items were H. mabouia followed by Formicidae and Hemiptera. Our identification into broader prey-types categories (i.e., order or family-level) suggests that some degree of food resource partitioning may occur, possibly through the occupation of different temporal niches.

A composição da dieta de duas espécies de lagartos senta-e-espera, Hemidactylus mabouia e Phyllopezus pollicaris, que coocorrem sobre substratos rochosos e paredões rochosos em uma área periantrópica no oeste do Brasil, foi descrita. Ambas as espécies demonstraram um padrão de alimentação generalista, alimentando-se principalmente de insetos. As presas mais frequentes na dieta de P. pollicaris foram Coleoptera, Araneae e Homoptera enquanto que os itens mais importantes foram Coleoptera e Homoptera, respectivamente. Para H. mabouia as presas mais frequentes foram Araneae seguido de Coleoptera e Hemiptera, enquanto que os itens mais importantes foram H. mabouia seguido de Formicidae e Hemiptera. Nossas identificações de presas em categorias mais amplas (i.e., nível de ordem ou família) sugerem que certo grau de partição de recursos alimentares pode ocorrer, possivelmente através da ocupação de nichos temporais diferentes.