Toxicological risks assessment in the Jaguaribe River watershed (Ceará, Brazil) using anthropogenic contamination reports and ecotoxicological analysis.

Abstract

The economic development of human activities contributes to the discharge of many anthropogenic pollutants. To assess the environmental risks in the Jaguaribe River, the most important river in the hydrographic region of the Eastern Northeast Atlantic, a bibliographic review of scientific articles and a series of ecotoxicological bioassays were conducted. The bioassays were conducted using sediment samples at six collection sites along the river, while the bibliographic review was used to identify the presence of anthropogenic contaminants in sediment and tissue samples of aquatic organisms within two km of each of the sediment collection sites. The bibliographic review showed the presence of thirty-eight anthropogenic pollutants in sediment samples and seven in tissue samples of aquatic organisms. The ecotoxicological bioassays showed that the sediment samples produced lethal and sublethal effects in the four tested representatives of the different trophic levels: Daphnia magna, Artemia salina, Allium cepa and Cucumis sativus. The presence of multiple anthropogenic pollutants in the Jaguaribe River and the observed lethal and sublethal effects in ecotoxicological bioassays suggest potential risks not only to the aquatic ecosystem but also to human health. Humans may be exposed to these contaminants through the consumption of water and aquatic organisms, leading to potential health issues such as increased cancer risk. The findings underscore the urgent need for regular monitoring and effective pollution control measures to mitigate these health risks and protect the well-being of local communities.