Genotoxicity induced by water and sediment samples from a river under the influence of brewery effluent Ana Letícia Hilario Garcia a, b , Cristina Araujo Matzenbacher a , Marcela Silva Santos a , Lismare Prado a , Jaqueline Nascimento Picada a , Suziane M. Premoli c , Dione S. Corr ^ ea c , Liana Niekraszewicz d , Johnny Ferraz Dias d , Ivana Grivicich e , Juliana da Silva a, * a Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, PPGBioSaúde and PPGGTA, Lutheran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha 8001, Pr edio 22, Sala 22 (4  andar), 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil b Laboratoryof Ecotoxicology, Postgraduate Program in Environmental Quality, University Feevale, ERS-239, 2755, 93525-075, Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil c Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Applied Toxicology (PPGGTA) e Chemistry Course, Lutheran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha 8001, 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil d Ion Implantation Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500 e Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil e Laboratory of Cancer Biology, PPGBioSaúde and PPGGTA, Lutheran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Av. Farroupilha 8001, Pr edio 22, Sala 22 (4  andar), 92425-900, Canoas, RS, Brazil highlights graphical abstract  Brewery effluent samples induced genotoxicity related to chemical composition.  Samples obtained near breweries presented increased PAH and metal levels.  Industrial brewery waste discharges induced DNA damage observed in V79 cells. article info Article history: Received 3 May 2016 Received in revised form 10 November 2016 Accepted 15 November 2016 Handling Editor: Jian-Ying Hu Keywords: Brewery effluent Industrial effluents Salmonella/microsome test Comet assay Micronucleus test V79 cells abstract Brewery effluents contain complex mixtures that are discharged into rivers. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the genotoxic potential of these effluents. The study evaluated the genotoxicity of surface water and sediment samples from the Jacuí River in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, which received effluents discharged from a brewery. The Salmonella/microsome test, Comet Assay and Micronucleus test on V79 cells, as well as the element profile (PIXE) and PAHs levels were used for this purpose. The surface water and sediment samples were collected in summer at three sites: 1 km upstream from the brewery discharge site (Site A); in front of the effluent discharge site, after chemical and biological treatment (Site B); about 1 km downstream from the discharge site (Site C). Only a sediment sample from Site A induced a mutagenic effect using the Salmonella/microsoma test (TA97a). All three sites presented genotoxicity (A, B and C), both for water and sediments using comet assay, and mutagenicity in the samples from Site B (surface water) and Site A and Site C (sediments) using the micronuclei tests. The results of PIXE and PAHs showed higher levels of elements for samples obtained from sites upstream and downstream from the effluent discharge. Environmental samples consist of complex mixtures of chemicals, and it is * Corresponding author. E-mail address: juliana.silva@ulbra.br (J. da Silva). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Chemosphere journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/chemosphere http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.11.081 0045-6535/© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Chemosphere 169 (2017) 239e248