Abstract:
Emissions of pollutants from airport activities represent an important environmental contamination source equivalent to the impact caused by many industries. In these places there are different toxic gases, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nanoparticles, metals, among other chemical compounds that end up contaminating the air, soil and water. Birds of prey are top-chain predators, which have the ability to bioaccumulate substances in the body and are found in airport environments. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the mutagenic potential and morphological changes in raptors exposed to environmental contamination in an airport area through the Micronucleus test and the bilateral symmetry of the wings and tarsi, respectively. This work will be carried out in Salgado Filho International Airport of Porto Alegre - RS and in private and zoological breeding grounds. Metals analysis was measured in the blood cells of the collected birds. A total of 32 individuals of the species Falco peregrinus and Caracara plancus were evaluated. The total nuclear alterations observed showed that the organisms exposed to the airport contamination presented a higher frequency of damages when compared to the organisms of the control group. However, this difference was significant only for the carcara group. The inorganic elements analysis in the hawk blood samples, performed through the PIXE, showed concentrations increased of zinc. In the individuals of the C. plancus were quantified manganese and chrome only in exposed group. The bilateral symmetry measure revealed no significant difference between the groups in the different species. Therefore, the micronucleus frequency alteration and the presence of toxic metals, in the sampled blood, evidenced genotoxic stress in individuals living in civil aviation areas.
