Patterns of abundance and distribution of chironomid midges (Diptera, Chironomidae) in the middle Rio Doce basin were analysed. Human activities (mining, steel processing, and Eucalyptus spp. forestry) contribute to environmental degradation and low water quality in this watershed. Physical and chemical water traits (dissolved oxygen, pH, total alkalinity, electric conductivity, phosphorus and ...

For biodetection of mutagenic pollution of marine environments, an organism naturally occurring in these habitats should be used. We found that marine bacterium Vibrio harveyi may be an appropriate bioindicator of mutagenic pollution. For positive selection of mutants, we developed a simple method for isolation of V. harveyi mutants resistant to neomycin. We constructed genetically modified V. ...

Pollution by heavy metals is a serious problem due to their toxicity and ability to accumulate in the biota. In vivo effects of Cadmium (Cd) levels of expression on antioxidant enzymes such as Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were investigated in liver, kidney, gill and brain tissues of freshwater Catfish, Clarias gariepinus. CAT is a common antioxidant enzyme which breaks dow...

Toxicity of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) was investigated on Chlorella vulgaris cells exposed during 72 hours to Fe3O4 (SPION-1), Co0.2Zn0.8Fe2O4 (SPION-2), or Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 (SPION-3) to a range of concentrations from 12.5 to 400 μg mL(-1). Under these treatments, toxicity impact was indicated by the deterioration of photochemical activities of photosynthesis, the induct...

DNA is a promising material for the construction of a biosensor or bioindicator because its structure is sensitive to the binding of cofactors. In the current studies, we found that a combination of two DNA oligonucleotides, 5'-TCTTTCTCTTCT-3' and 5'-AGAAAGAGAAGA-3', exhibit a novel structural transition from a Watson-Crick antiparallel duplex to a parallel Hoogsteen duplex as the pH changes fr...

Environmental assessment of impacts, management, and policy are important aspects of protection of human health and the environment. Assessing the impacts of human activities requires selection of bioindicator species that can be used to assess, manage, and develop public policies that ensure ecosystem integrity, and therefore sustainability of social, cultural, and economic systems. With the u...

The effect of residual concentrations of organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos (Lorsban 4E) on the activity of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme and oxygen : nitrogen ratio in the mussel Aulacomya ater was analyzed. Toxicity tests show a sensitivity to the pesticide in the bivalve estimated at 16 μg L(-1) (LC(50-96 hours)). Concentrations between 0.2 and 1.61 μg L(-1) were able to inhibit signif...

Introduction: Parkinson disease (PD) is the second frequent human neurodegenerative disease following Alzheimer. This illness is caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the compact part of substantia nigra (SNpc). Clinical demonstrations are observable when 70% of dopaminergic neurons in SNpc and 80% of dopaminergic terminals in striatum have been degenerated. Characterization of non-...