| The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effects of the water-soluble fraction of gasoline (WSFG) on the Neotropical freshwater fish Prochilodus lineatus. The WSFG was prepared by mixing gasoline in water (1:4) and animals were exposed for 6, 24 and 96h to 5% diluted WSFG or only to water. After exposure, blood was collected from the caudal vein and the gills were removed. The following parameters were analyzed: hematological (hemoglobin, hematocrit, number of red blood cells), osmo-ionic (plasma Na+, Cl- and K+ and plasma osmolarity), metabolic (total plasma proteins and glucose), endocrine (cortisol), density and distribution of chloride cells [CC] in the gills (immunohistochemistry), and branchial Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) activity. Hemolysis was found to... |
