Evaluation of surface water quality using an ecotoxicological approach: a case study of the Alqueva Reservoir (Portugal) |
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Authors: | Patrícia Palma Paula Alvarenga Vera Palma Cláudia Matos Rosa Maria Fernandes Amadeu Soares Isabel Rita Barbosa |
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Institution: | 1.Departamento de Ciências do Ambiente,Escola Superior Agrária de Beja,Beja,Portugal;2.CESAM and Departamento de Biologia,Universidade de Aveiro,Aveiro,Portugal;3.Centro de Estudos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia,Universidade de Coimbra,Coimbra,Portugal |
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Abstract: | Background, aim, and scope Freshwater reservoirs can be impacted by several hazardous substances through inputs from agricultural activity, sewage discharges,
and groundwater leaching and runoff. The water quality assessment is very important for implementation of the monitoring and
remediation programs to minimize the risk promoted by hazardous substances in aquatic ecosystems. Evaluation of the degree
of contamination of aquatic environments must not take in account only its chemical characterization but it must be complemented
with biological assays, which determine potential toxic effects and allows an integrated evaluation of its effects in populations
and aquatic ecosystem communities. The application of this type of strategy has clear advantages allowing a general evaluation
of the effects from all the water components, including those due to unknown substances and synergic, antagonistic, or additive
effects. There are only a few studies that reported ecotoxicological acute end points, for the assessment of surface water
quality, and the relationship among toxicity results and the anthropogenic pollution sources and the seasonal period. The
aim of this study was to assess the ecotoxicological characterization of the surface water from Alqueva reservoir (South of
Portugal) and to evaluate the influence of anthropogenic sources of pollution and their seasonal variation in its toxicity.
The construction of Alqueva reservoir was recently finished (2002) and, to our knowledge, an ecotoxicological assessment of
its surface water has not been performed. Because of that, no information is available on the possible impact of pollutants
on the biota. The surface water toxicity was assessed using acute and chronic bioassays. The results are to be used for developing
a monitoring program, including biological methods. |
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