experimental study to investigate cytogenotoxicity of a contaminated estuary from Southeastern Brazilian Coast.

The aim of this study was to evaluate cytogenotoxicity in mammalian cells induced by ingestion of superficial water from SESS. For this purpose, surface water was collected from two points of SESS: São Vicente Channel (SVC) and Piaçaguera Channel (PIC). Four groups (n = 5) of adult male Wistar (8 weeks old) received for 5 days: (a) filtered tap water (water control), (b) tap water with 2.4% of NaCl (saline control), (c) estuarine water from PIC and (d) estuarine water from SVC. Results demonstrated that Ki67 immunoexpression was higher in hepatocytes exposed to both sampling site, while demonstrated downregulation in rat liver exposed to estuarine water. There was also significant increase in micronuclei frequency in bone marrow cells and hepatocytes, and DNA damage in blood and liver of rats exposed to estuarine water from SVC and PIC. In summary, studies with complex mixtures, such as contaminated estuarine water are important since this work confirmed by experiments using mammalian cells of rats that SESS water are genotoxic, mutagenic and cytotoxic, denoting concern for environmental health.