Levels of organochlorine pesticides in Amazon turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) in the Xingu River,Brazil |
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| Authors: | Marina Teófilo Pignati Larissa Costa De Souza Rosivaldo de Alcântara Mendes Marcelo de Oliveira Lima Wanderlei Antonio Pignati Juarez Carlos Brito Pezzuti |
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| Institution: | 1. Programa de Pós-gradua??o em Zoologia Universidade Federal do Pará e Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi/CZO, Belém, Brazil;2. marinateofilo@yahoo.com.br;4. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Se??o de Meio Ambiente, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Ananindeua, Brazil;5. Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil;6. Núcleo de Altos Estudos Amaz?nicos, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | AbstractDue to the toxicity and high environmental persistence of organochlorine pesticides in aquatic organisms, turtles have been studied as environment biomonitors. These animals are important sources of protein for the riverside and indigenous peoples of the Brazilian amazon. In the present study, organochlorine pesticide contamination was investigated in Podocnemis unifilis. Liver, muscle and fatty tissue samples were removed from 50 specimens collected from five sampling points located in the Xingu River basin. Fourteen organochlorine pesticides were analysed via gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (CG-ECD). Eight organochlorine pesticides were detected with average concentrations of ∑DDT, ∑Endossulfan and ∑HCH which were 26.17?±?26.35, 14.38?±?23.77 and 1.39?±?8.46?ng g?1 in moisture content, respectively. DDT compounds were the most predominant, with a greater concentration of pp′-DDT in the liver and pp′-DDD in the muscle. Significant differences were noted between the types of tissues studied, and the concentration of OCPs varied between sampling sites. |
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| Keywords: | Contamination organochlorine pesticide toxicity Podocnemis unifilis turtle Xingu River |
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