Abstract

Background: Groundwater could vehicle substances that have shown to have a thyroiddisrupting action. Amphibians are used as bioassays to analyze changes that these disruptors generate during metamorphosis. Objectives: To assess the thyroid disrupting action of groundwater contaminated with nitrates and arsenic, by means of a bioassay of chronic toxicity in Xenopus laevis larvae. Methods: Three experimental groups immersed in water: Control group (C) (n=13) filtered drinking water, Exposed group (E) groundwater (n=18) and Positive Control group (PC) (n=18) filtered drinking water added with 0,007 mg/l of potassium perchlorate. A water physicochemical analysis was performed. The duration of metamorphosis stages, total body length, mortality per group, weight and height were morphologically evaluated. The colloid volume, degrees of hyperplasia, and height of the follicular epithelium of the thyroid gland were histologically evaluated. At molecular level, NIS thyroid symporter protein expression was measured.