Avaliação da toxicidade dos hidrocarbonetos monoaromáticos BTX no microcrustáceo marinho Mysidopsis juniae

Abstract

The volatile organic compounds benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) are among the most produced chemicals worldwide and can be found in different environmental compartments. Contamination of aquatic environments by these substances may result in to adverse toxic effects on organisms of different biological organizations. The present study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of BTX isolated and in binary mixtures using the acute toxicity test (96h) with the microcrustacean Mysidopsis juniae. To achieve that, organisms were exposed to BTX concentrations in order to identify the effects on survival, as well as to study the modes of action of the substances in mixture with the application of the theoretical models of Addition Concentration (AC) and Independent Action (AI). In the experiments with the isolated compounds it was possible to notice that xylene was the most toxic compound (LC50 16,10 ±2,4mg.L-1) followed by toluene (LC50 38 ± 5,3mg.L-1) and benzene (LC50 78,03 ±2,9mg.L-1) respectively. When in binary mixture deviations of the reference models for CA were observed in all experiments performed (dose ratio and antagonism). In the exposure of xylene and benzene the deviation that fit the results was the antagonism, where as the mixture of xylene and toluene was better explained by the deviation dose ratio where the toxicity was caused mainly by xylene. In the experiment combining toluene and benzene, the dose ratio pattern was observed as well, and the benzene was the main responsible for the toxicity. We concluded that BTX were toxic to mysids, both isolated and in binary mixtures, evidencing the importance of studies in this subject that can serve as support for evaluations and monitoring of the marine environments, considering the imminent risks of contamination of this environment and the wide scale of use of these compounds.