Gill histopathology and micronucleus test of Astyanax jacuhiensis (Cope, 1894) (Teleostei, Characidae) to evaluate effects caused by acute exposure to aluminum

\ud \ud \ud The contamination of aquatic environments by aluminum (Al) is usually caused by several anthropogenic activities. Diverse morphological, physiological and biochemical alterations in aquatic organisms have been attributed to exposure to Al. In this context, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acute exposure to different concentrations of Al on the histology of gills and frequency of micronucleus (MN) and nuclear abnormalities (NA) in erythrocytes of the fish Astyanax jacuhiensis. Fish were exposed to sublethal concentrations of 0.3 mg/L and 30 mg/L of aluminum at neutral pH for 72 h. A control group was kept in filtered water. The alterations in the gills were characterized by epithelial hyperplasia and hypertrophy, lamellar fusion, edema, epithelial lifting, aneurism and necrosis. A significant increase (p