Mutagenic, genotoxic and morphotoxic potential of different pesticides in the erythrocytes of Podocnemis expansa neonates José Silonardo Pereira de Oliveira a , Lucélia Gonçalves Vieira b , Wanessa Fernandes Carvalho c , Marcelino Benvindo de Souza c , Aline Sueli de Lima Rodrigues a , Karina Simões d , Daniela de Melo De Silva c , Juliana dos Santos Mendonça e , Liria Queiroz Luz Hirano f , André Luiz Quagliatto Santos g , Guilherme Malafaia a, ⁎ a Biological Research Laboratory, Post-Graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources, Goiano Federal Institute – Urutaí, Campus, Urutaí, GO, Brazil b Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Goiânia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil c Mutagenesis Laboratory, Biological Sciences Institute, ICB I – Federal University of Goiás, Samambaia Campus, Goiânia, GO, Brazil d Morphology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Samambaia Campus, Goiânia, GO, Brazil e Institute of Bioscience, Paulista State University Júlio de Mesquita Filho - UNESP, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil f University of Brasília, Brasíliae, DF, Brazil g Wild Animal Teaching and Research Laboratory, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil HIGHLIGHTS • Glyphosate (Gly), atrazine (Atra) and fipronil (Fip) cause mutagenic and genotoxic effect on P. expansa. • In ovo exposure to Gly, Atra and Fip af- fects the health of P. expansa neonates • Pesticides cause changes in the shape and size of erythrocytes of P. expansa. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT abstract article info Article history: Received 31 March 2020 Received in revised form 24 May 2020 Accepted 15 June 2020 Available online 17 June 2020 Editor: Daniel Wunderlin Keywords: Pesticides Ecotoxicology Mutagenicity Genotoxicity Morphotoxicity Despite the damaging effects of pesticides glyphosate (Gly), atrazine (Atra) and fipronil (Fip) on different organ- isms, the mutagenic, genotoxic and morphotoxic potential of testudine erythrocytes in freshwater remains un- known. Thus, the aim of the present study is to assess the toxicological potential of these compounds in Podocnemis expansa (Amazonian turtles) neonates from eggs artificially incubated in substrate at different con- centrations of herbicides Gly and Atra and insecticide Fip. Micronucleus test and other nuclear abnormalities, as well as comet assay and morphometric measurements taken of models' circulating erythrocytes were used as toxicity biomarkers. Pups exposed to Gly (groups Gly-65 ppb and Gly-6500 ppb) were the ones recording the largest amount of nuclear abnormalities; erythrocytes with multilobulated, notched and displaced nucleus were mostly frequent in groups Atra-2 ppb and Gly -65 ppb. All treatments (Gly-6500 ppb, Atra-2 ppb, Atra- 200 ppb, Fip-4 ppb and Fip-400 ppb), except for group Gly-65 ppb, led to decreased erythrocyte area, increased “nuclear area: erythrocyte area” ratio, as well as to decreased erythrocyte and erythrocyte nuclei circularity, which highlights the clear effect on the size and shape of these cells. On the other hand, the comet assay did not evidence any genotoxic effect caused by the assessed pesticides. This is a pioneer study on the mutagenic Science of the Total Environment 737 (2020) 140304 ⁎ Corresponding author at: Biological Research Laboratory, Goiano Federal Institute, Urutaí Campus, Rodovia Geraldo Silva Nascimento, 2,5 km, Zona Rural, Urutaí CEP: 75790-000, GO, Brazil. E-mail address: guilhermeifgoiano@gmail.com (G. Malafaia). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140304 0048-9697/© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Science of the Total Environment journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/scitotenv