Ecotoxicidade dos corantes azul brilhante FCF e verde folha frente a Artemia salina Leach, Lactuca sativa L. e Allium cepa L.

Abstract

Industrial growth can lead to an increase in environmental pollution, especially with regard to emerging pollutants dumped into the water environment. Food dyes and those used as excipients in the pharmaceutical industry are difficult to degrade, persistent in water environments and have little known toxicity in aquatic and terrestrial species, being categorized as emerging pollutants. In view of this, ecotoxicology aims to study the toxic effects of polluting substances on the environment. In the present study, acute toxicity assessments were carried out on Artemia salina Leach and the classification of the median lethal concentration (CL50) of nauplii. Was also performed the test of phytotoxicity on seeds and roots of Lactuca sativa L. and Allium cepa L., and the values of the Germination Index (IG) and the Relative Length Index (ICR) were classified to help explain the results found. The tests were applied to artificial dyes Brilliant Blue FCF and Green Leaf, as well as the association between them. In A. salina the concentrations tested for the dye Green Leaf did not present toxicity; for the dye Brilliant Blue, mortality of 3.33% of nauplii was found at concentrations of 50 and 100 mg∙L1; and, in relation to the association of dyes, mortality of 10% of nauplii was found in concentrations of 10, 50 and 100 mg∙L1. The evaluated dyes did not inhibit the germination rate of L. sativa and A. cepa seeds. However, they promoted significant inhibition or reduction of root growth of the species L. sativa, demonstrating phytotoxic potential. In relation to root inhibition for species A. cepa, phytotoxicity was not verified. The results obtained in the present study indicate the need for more ecotoxicological tests in different bioassays and concentrations to determine the environmental risk regarding the presence of these dyes in the environment.