The toxicity of the metals: Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn to the freshwater aquatic larvae of the midge fly Chironomus riparius was investigated using 24 h waterborne exposures. Even at the most sensitive life stage, first instar, the chironomids were extremely metal tolerant, with LC50 values for all metals being orders of magnitudes above both the CCME Canadian water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life, and the USEP A Water Quality Criteria. This high tolerance of C. riparius to metal toxicity, combined with an exceptional ability to accumulate and tolerate high internal metal burdens makes the chironomid an ideal organism to use in studies on factors affecting the trophic transfer of Cd. Zebrafish were fed with Cd-contaminated chironomids for 7 days, followed by 3 days of gut clearance with clean chironomids. Chironomids loaded with Cd by exposure to Cd-contaminated sediments exhibited a significantly higher trophic transfer efficiency (TTE) than did zebrafish 1 fed chironomids contaminated with Cd by waterborne exposure, although in both cases the TTE's were low (<2%). The majority ofCd transferred to zebrafish was stored in the gut and carcass, irrespective of ingestion of a natural diet (chironomids loaded with Cd), or a manufactured pellet diet of identical Cd concentrations. On a tissue concentration basis, the highest tissue accumulations in zebrafish were (in decreasing order): kidney> gut> liver> gill> carcass; this accumulation pattern w;ls also independent of concentration of Cd in the diet or of prey exposure route. Subcellular fractionation of chironomids found most of the Cd in the metal rich granule fraction followed by the organelle fraction. It also revealed that sediment exposed chironomids had significantly more Cd in the metallothionein-like protein fraction, and significantly less Cd in the cellular debris fraction than water-borne exposed chironomids, although these fractions accounted for only a small percent (~7%) of the total accumulated Cd. Despite this difference in prey subcellular fractionation, the subcellular storage of Cd in zebrafish fed on sediment-exposed chironomids and zebrafish fed on water-borne exposed chironomids was the same, with the highest accumulations in the organelles, enzymes, and metal rich granules fractions. Main areas of subcellular storage in zebrafish fed on a manufactured pellet food were identical to those ofzebrafish fed on chironomids. However, zebrafish fed on chironomids had significantly more Cd in the metallothionein-like protein fraction (5-10%) than did zebrafish fed on pellets :o%). Overall, TTE's were independent of concentration, but were dependent on route of prey exposure. Tissue-specific accumulations and tissue-specific distributions in zebrafish were independent of both concentration and route of prey exposure, and the gut consistently accounted for the highest proportion of overall body burden, and had the highest accumulation of all tissues; verifying its importance in preventing the internalization of Cd. Subcellular distributions were also independent of concentration, although zebrafish fed a biological food (chironomids) had more Cd in the metallothionein-like protein fraction than zebrafish fed a manufactured food. This has biological implications for Cd detoxification. / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy

The production and use of manufactured metal (oxide) nanoparticles has exploded in recent years as they are exploited for their novel physical and chemical properties. Cerium oxide NPs (CeO2NPs) help increase combustion in diesel engines and their reported ability to scavenge free radicals has been exploited in therapeutic treatments. Silver NPs (AgNPs) are now used in consumer products such as socks and sticking plasters due to their antibacterial properties. Once released into the environment, their ultimate fate is predicted to be the oceans The aims of this thesis are to investigate the bioaccumulation and biological effects (oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation) of CeO2NPs and AgNPs on the mussel Mytilus edulis, and to understand the potential for trophic transfer of CeO2NPs to the crab Carcinus maenas, and subsequent induced biological effects. It was found in acute exposures that, at the suggested regulatory limit of 3mg/l, less than 5% of a CeO2NP dose will be accumulated by the digestive gland of M. edulis within 4 hours, before being depurated over at least 56 hours. There were no significant biological effects of CeO2NPs, yet larger, micron-size particles had significant anti-oxidant effects. Most effects were transitory, returning to normal levels after 24 hours. In uptake comparisons between AgNPs and Ag-nanorods (AgNRs) at 10μg/l (towards the regulatory limit of 1.9μg/l), AgNRs were accumulated in the digestive gland within 2 hours, but were depurated by 4 hours. Similarity in accumulation between AgNPs and ionic Ag – including continuous accumulation in the gills over 48 hours – suggested dissolution was mostly responsible for this. Both nanoforms instigated isolated oxidative stress responses over 4-24 hours, yet none were significantly worse than AgNO3, which instigated the greatest suite of significant oxidative stress responses. In trophic transfer experiments C. maenas accumulated CeO2NPs in the hepatopancreas at less than 1% of the fed dose. Stomach accumulation was high but transitory, with most particles removed in the faeces. Gills were also a site of accumulation and it was thought that the haemolymph provided a route of transit between the digestive organs and the respiratory organs. This novel experiment used NPs crafted from 140Ce; changes in isotopic ratios of Ce in the crab following trophic transfer could therefore be used to determine absolute increases in concentration against high, and highly variable, background concentrations. There were no significant biological effects following trophic transfer of these 140CeO2NPs. It was found that the current regulatory limits are predicted to be sufficient to protect M. edulis and C. maenas from acute exposure to CeO2NPs and AgNPs, yet chronic exposures should be investigated since the relationship between the uptake and elimination rate of NPs will determine the extent of bioaccumulation and biological effects.

The use of fatty acid (FA) analysis has become an important tool in recent years to investigate a broad spectrum of questions in fisheries and aquatic ecology. One of these applications has been the use of FA profiles as biomarkers for indicating diet and recent feeding history of fishes and other aquatic consumers. Differences in forage FA profiles and spatial differences in food web structure within aquatic systems may lead to corresponding spatial patterns of FA profiles in consumers, thereby facilitating the potential applicability of FA biomarkers as indicators of habitat use and origin for mobile consumers such as fishes. However, little information is available regarding differences in FA profiles among habitat types in river-floodplain ecosystems and the time-scale over which fish FA profiles change when fish move between habitats that differ in the FA profiles of prey resources. The objectives of this study were to test whether the tissue FA profiles of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) differed among three reaches of the lower Kaskaskia River and its floodplain lakes, to determine the time-course of tissue FA profile turnover when fish are relocated to a new habitat type, and to compare FA profiles among muscle, liver, and adipose fin tissues in channel catfish. Fatty acid profiles of channel catfish were significantly different among sites, especially between upper and lower river sites, and between river channel and oxbow lake sites, suggesting differing energy sources among habitats and river reaches in the Kaskaskia system. More specifically, there was a significant increase in the essential FAs, 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3, in channel catfish with increasing distance downstream, which could reflect an increase in river-floodplain connectivity at downstream sites. Channel catfish transplanted from the Kaskaskia River to ponds at Southern Illinois University Carbondale showed a significant linear decrease in n-3 and medium-chain polyunsaturated FAs (MC-PUFA), and a significant linear increase in monounsaturates (MUFA) with longer residence time in a lentic environment. Liver tissue exhibited the fastest turnover rate of the three tissue types (< 2 weeks), with muscle and adipose fin tissue both displaying similar, longer turnover times (approximately 10 weeks). Results of this study support the use of FA profiles as indicators of energy sources for fishes in large river-floodplain ecosystems, including the potential for indentifying habitat-specific (river channel vs. floodplain lake) or river reach-specific energy sources. Additionally, results of this study provide a timeline for FA turnover in channel catfish tissues when fish move among habitats with distinct FA signatures, which is crucial for detecting temporal shifts in use of habitat-specific energy sources by channel catfish. Results also suggest that adipose fin tissue samples may be a less invasive alternative to muscle tissue for analysis of FA profiles in channel catfish. Improved understanding of which habitats or river reaches provide trophic support for riverine fishes through use of FA profile analysis has potentially important implications for habitat conservation and rehabilitation in river-floodplain ecosystem.

The Sacramento River watershed provides important rearing habitat for key aquatic species, including juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Salmon rearing in the watershed may inhabit the mainstem river channel or a corresponding floodplain, the Yolo Bypass, before migrating to the ocean. Studies of juvenile salmon have indicated that floodplain rearing may be beneficial in terms of growth and survival, likely related to different trophic pathways of the river and floodplain. However, fish also encounter many anthropogenic stressors in these habitats, such as pesticides, which have well-documented use and environmental presence in the region. Rearing individuals are potentially exposed to pesticides via trophic transfer, which may vary based on utilized food webs due to hydrophobic pesticide fate and transport. To examine the food web structure of each system and the potential for pesticide exposure through dietary routes, a two-year field study was completed. First, to characterize dietary contributions, a three-tiered approach incorporating stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S), essential fatty acids and gut content analyses was employed. Subsequently, pesticides were extracted from prey items and salmon and analyzed to determine contaminant residues. Stable isotope analyses indicated that critically important components of juvenile Chinook diet were amphipoda and adult diptera in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Amphipoda groups had higher concentrations of the fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an important component for fish development, than juvenile diptera or oligochaeta. Diptera (larvae and adults) were frequently found in juvenile Chinook stomachs from both areas and years. Throughout the pesticide examination, organochlorines including the DDT group (p,p’-DDT, p,p’-DDD and p,p’-DDE) were prevalent in all examined biota. There were a significantly greater number of pyrethroid and phenylpyrazole detections and concentrations in zooplankton as compared to macroinvertebrates (Poisson regression, p < 0.05) across regions and years. Additionally, significantly higher concentrations of organochlorines were exhibited in floodplain rearing fish as compared to the Sacramento River (ANOVA, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that juvenile Chinook feeding primarily on zooplankton may be exposed to a greater range of pesticides than those exhibiting benthic feeding, but these pelagic prey were not demonstrated as a major dietary item during the two-year study. Additionally, the previously inferred benefits of floodplain rearing may come at a cost of increased organochlorine exposure. This research has allowed for a robust assessment of potential trophic transfer of pesticides to juvenile salmon, which may help inform future floodplain restoration efforts.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar como o grau de trofia dos reservatórios interfere na transferência trófica de ácidos graxos (FA) aos peixes teleósteos de hábitos alimentares distintos, relacionando os principais FAs considerados biomarcadores à sua importância em processos bioquímicos. Para isso, fêmeas adultas de Astyanax fasciatus, uma espécie onívora, e Hoplias malabaricus, uma espécie carnívora, foram amostradas durante um ano em dois reservatórios com diferentes graus de trofia na região metropolitana de São Paulo: Ponte Nova, considerado o reservatório referência, e o braço Taquacetuba no reservatório Billings, local hipereutrófico. O perfil de FAs do séston, conteúdo estomacal e dos triacilgliceróis (Tg) e fosfolipídios (Fl) teciduais foram analisados por cromatografia gasosa. Como um reflexo do perfil de FAs do séston, juntamente com o conteúdo estomacal, foi possível observar um predomínio de ácidos graxos polinsaturados (PUFAs) n6, como C18:2n6 e ARA (ácido araquidônico), e do FA C18:1n9 na maioria dos tecidos analisados das fêmeas de A. fasciatus no reservatório referência, enquanto houve maior porcentagem de HUFAs (ácidos graxos altamente insaturados) n3, principalmente EPA (ácido eicosapentaenoico) e DHA (ácido docosahexaenoico) nos tecidos das fêmeas coletadas no reservatório hipereutrófico, resultando em alterações nas razões n3/n6 e EPA/ARA nesses animais. O mesmo padrão de deposição dos FAs foi observado nos tecidos das fêmeas de H. malabaricus, como resultado do perfil de FAs da sua presa potencial. Contudo, o desbalanço entre as diferentes classes de PUFAs observado entre os reservatórios parece ser menor para essa espécie, não refletindo em alterações na razão EPA/ARA. Deste modo, as alterações ambientais interferiram no perfil de FAs do séston das áreas em questão e, consequentemente, na composição de FAs do alimento disponível para os níveis tróficos superiores. Este fato refletiu em modificações no perfil de FAs teciduais dos peixes dos diferentes ambientes, podendo interferir em uma gama de processos bioquímicos envolvidos com essas moléculas. Contudo, essas alterações parecem ter um efeito menor em espécies carnívoras do que onívoras / The aim of this study was to investigate how the reservoirs eutrophication degree interferes with the trophic transfer of fatty acids (FA) to teleost fish with different feeding habits, relating the major FAs considered biomarkers to their importance in biochemical processes. For this purpose, adult females of Astyanax fasciatus, an omnivorous species, and Hoplias malabaricus, a carnivorous species, were sampled for one year in two reservoirs with different eutrophication degree in the metropolitan region of São Paulo: Ponte Nova, considered a reference reservoir, and the arm Taquacetuba from Billings reservoir, an hypereutrophic site. The FA profile of seston, stomach content and tissue triglycerides (TG) and phospholipids (PL) were analyzed by gas chromatography. As a result of the sestonic FAs profile and of stomach contents, was possible to observe a predominance of n6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as C18:2n6 and ARA (arachidonic acid), and FA C18:1n9 in most analyzed tissues of A. fasciatus females from reference reservoir, while there was a higher percentage of n3 HUFAs (highly unsaturated fatty acids), especially EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in tissues of females from hypereutrophic reservoir, resulting in changes in the n3/n6 and EPA/ARA ratios in these animals. The same pattern of FAs deposition can be observed in the tissues of H. malabaricus females, as a result of the FAs profile of its potential prey, A. fasciatus. However, the imbalance of different classes of PUFAs observed between reservoirs appears to be lower, not resulting in changes in the EPA/ARA ratio in these carnivorous animals. Thus, environmental changes interfered with the FAs profile of seston in the fields, and then in the composition of FAs food available to higher trophic levels. This fact reflected in changes in the FAs profile of tissue Tgs and Fls of fish from different environments, and it can interfere in a range of biochemical processes involved with these molecules. On the other hand, these changes seem to have a lower effect in carnivorous species than omnivorous

Uranium mining and milling operations at Key Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada, have been releasing effluent since 1983, resulting in the accumulation of selenium in surface water, sediment, and biota in downstream lakes relative to pre-development and reference lake conditions. Elevated selenium can pose a risk to fish and bird populations in aquatic ecosystems as a result of the trophic transfer of selenium from the base of the aquatic food web. This research program was designed to address specific knowledge gaps related to the bioaccumulation of selenium at the benthic-detrital link of aquatic food webs. To fulfill this objective, laboratory and in situ field experiments were conducted using the benthic invertebrate Chironomus dilutus to identify the exposure pathway(s) and selenium species associated with the bioaccumulation of selenium by benthic invertebrates downstream from the Key Lake operation. Laboratory bioaccumulation tests that exposed midge larvae to 4.3 µg/L as dissolved selenate for 10 d resulted in negligible accumulation of selenium. However, larvae rapidly accumulated selenium over 10 d of exposure to 3.8 and 1.8 µg/L selenite and seleno-DL-methionine (Se-met), respectively. Furthermore, once selenium was accumulated by the larvae from the selenite and Se-met treatments, the majority of it was retained after a 10 d depuration period in clean water. When additional midge larvae were exposed to selenium until emergence, selenium accumulated during the larval stage was passed onto the adults following metamorphosis, with only a small percentage of the selenium (< 5%) transferred to the exuvia. Selenium speciation analysis using X-ray absorption spectroscopy showed that increases in total selenium concentrations corresponded to increased fraction of organic selenides, modeled as selenomethionine, in C. dilutus larvae and adults. Results from the 2008 in situ caging study confirmed that surface water is not a significant selenium exposure pathway for benthic invertebrates at Key Lake. Chironomus dilutus larvae accumulated between 20- and 90-fold more selenium from exposure to sediment compared to exposure to surface water in the high exposure lake. In response to these findings, a second in situ experiment was conducted in 2009 to investigate the importance of dietary selenium (biofilm or detritus) vs. whole-sediment as an exposure pathway. Larvae exposed to sediment detritus (top 2 â 3 mm of sediment) from the exposure site had the highest selenium concentrations after 10 d of exposure (15.6 ± 1.9 µg/g) compared to larvae exposed to whole-sediment (12.9 ± 1.7 µg/g) or biofilm (9.9 ± 1.6 µg/g). Biofilm had lower total selenium concentrations than the detritus and whole-sediment fractions, but nearly 80% of the selenium was present as organic selenides similar to selenomethionine. Biofilms appear to be an enriched source of organic selenium and are important food items for many benthic consumers. Integrating the separate lines of evidence that were generated during laboratory and in situ bioaccumulation tests helped strengthen the understanding of selenium accumulation in the benthic-detrital food web and subsequent trophic transfer of selenium to benthic invertebrates.

The overall objective of the research conducted and described in this thesis was to develop an environmentally relevant bioassay to assess the effects of complex effluents on a sentinel fish species. A short-term fathead minnow (FHM) reproductive bioassay was utilized to assess the effects of industrial effluents on multiple levels of biological organization (sub-organismal to population endpoints). The FHM bioassay was tested in both lab and on-site investigations using an artificial stream system. The incorporation of trophic-transfer into the bioassay was also developed to quantify the importance of contaminated food as a source of exposure. This work was conducted in two key phases. Phase I focused on testing and developing the FHM bioassay, in the lab and on-site with pulp mill effluent (PME), to firstly document response patterns and, secondly, to conduct an investigation of cause study. Phase II focused on developing the trophic-transfer system to document responses to metal mine effluent (MME) in the lab and on-site in an artificial stream system. Development of the trophic-transfer system was also conducted during this phase to compare responses to standard water-only exposures. <p>In Phase I, exposure to PME in both the lab and field studies resulted in disruptions in egg production and spawning events. By focusing on identifying response patterns I was able to determine that the effects observed were indicative of an estrogenic response. I was also able to identify a process stream that was the potential cause of responses observed after exposure to final effluent. Isolation of this process stream will assist the mill in developing approaches for future mitigation. The results from this research will also provide additional data for the environmental effects monitoring (EEM) program for pulp and paper and investigation of cause studies on a national basis. <p> In Phase II, in both the field and laboratory investigations, significant decreases in reproductive output (egg production and spawning events) were observed in the water-only system exposures. Significant decreases in hatching success and increases in deformities were observed in the trophic-transfer system only, suggesting that the combination of both food and water was important in assessing the effects on the F1 generation. Overall, the responses in the trophic-transfer system were not comparable between the lab and field studies. In the lab study, significant decreases in reproductive output occurred, compared to the field study where significant increases in egg production and spawning events occurred. In addition, the effects on the F1 generation in the field study were not as severe as those observed in the lab investigation. It was concluded that the presence of reference water and the environment within the trophic-transfer system were responsible for this reduction in toxicity. <p> Phases I and II of this research have made significant contributions to artificial stream development within Canada for the assessment of industrial effluents and their effects on aquatic biota. The results from these studies have also demonstrated that environmentally relevant testing is essential if we are to accurately assess effects on aquatic biota. Future development and application of this bioassay should be towards developing a standardized approach for not only assessing the effects of industrial effluents in a comparative manner, but also in investigation of cause studies.

Uranium mining and milling operations at Key Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada, have been releasing effluent since 1983, resulting in the accumulation of selenium in surface water, sediment, and biota in downstream lakes relative to pre-development and reference lake conditions. Elevated selenium can pose a risk to fish and bird populations in aquatic ecosystems as a result of the trophic transfer of selenium from the base of the aquatic food web. This research program was designed to address specific knowledge gaps related to the bioaccumulation of selenium at the benthic-detrital link of aquatic food webs. To fulfill this objective, laboratory and in situ field experiments were conducted using the benthic invertebrate Chironomus dilutus to identify the exposure pathway(s) and selenium species associated with the bioaccumulation of selenium by benthic invertebrates downstream from the Key Lake operation. Laboratory bioaccumulation tests that exposed midge larvae to 4.3 µg/L as dissolved selenate for 10 d resulted in negligible accumulation of selenium. However, larvae rapidly accumulated selenium over 10 d of exposure to 3.8 and 1.8 µg/L selenite and seleno-DL-methionine (Se-met), respectively. Furthermore, once selenium was accumulated by the larvae from the selenite and Se-met treatments, the majority of it was retained after a 10 d depuration period in clean water. When additional midge larvae were exposed to selenium until emergence, selenium accumulated during the larval stage was passed onto the adults following metamorphosis, with only a small percentage of the selenium (< 5%) transferred to the exuvia. Selenium speciation analysis using X-ray absorption spectroscopy showed that increases in total selenium concentrations corresponded to increased fraction of organic selenides, modeled as selenomethionine, in C. dilutus larvae and adults. Results from the 2008 in situ caging study confirmed that surface water is not a significant selenium exposure pathway for benthic invertebrates at Key Lake. Chironomus dilutus larvae accumulated between 20- and 90-fold more selenium from exposure to sediment compared to exposure to surface water in the high exposure lake. In response to these findings, a second in situ experiment was conducted in 2009 to investigate the importance of dietary selenium (biofilm or detritus) vs. whole-sediment as an exposure pathway. Larvae exposed to sediment detritus (top 2 â 3 mm of sediment) from the exposure site had the highest selenium concentrations after 10 d of exposure (15.6 ± 1.9 µg/g) compared to larvae exposed to whole-sediment (12.9 ± 1.7 µg/g) or biofilm (9.9 ± 1.6 µg/g). Biofilm had lower total selenium concentrations than the detritus and whole-sediment fractions, but nearly 80% of the selenium was present as organic selenides similar to selenomethionine. Biofilms appear to be an enriched source of organic selenium and are important food items for many benthic consumers. Integrating the separate lines of evidence that were generated during laboratory and in situ bioaccumulation tests helped strengthen the understanding of selenium accumulation in the benthic-detrital food web and subsequent trophic transfer of selenium to benthic invertebrates.

The overall objective of the research conducted and described in this thesis was to develop an environmentally relevant bioassay to assess the effects of complex effluents on a sentinel fish species. A short-term fathead minnow (FHM) reproductive bioassay was utilized to assess the effects of industrial effluents on multiple levels of biological organization (sub-organismal to population endpoints). The FHM bioassay was tested in both lab and on-site investigations using an artificial stream system. The incorporation of trophic-transfer into the bioassay was also developed to quantify the importance of contaminated food as a source of exposure. This work was conducted in two key phases. Phase I focused on testing and developing the FHM bioassay, in the lab and on-site with pulp mill effluent (PME), to firstly document response patterns and, secondly, to conduct an investigation of cause study. Phase II focused on developing the trophic-transfer system to document responses to metal mine effluent (MME) in the lab and on-site in an artificial stream system. Development of the trophic-transfer system was also conducted during this phase to compare responses to standard water-only exposures. <p>In Phase I, exposure to PME in both the lab and field studies resulted in disruptions in egg production and spawning events. By focusing on identifying response patterns I was able to determine that the effects observed were indicative of an estrogenic response. I was also able to identify a process stream that was the potential cause of responses observed after exposure to final effluent. Isolation of this process stream will assist the mill in developing approaches for future mitigation. The results from this research will also provide additional data for the environmental effects monitoring (EEM) program for pulp and paper and investigation of cause studies on a national basis. <p> In Phase II, in both the field and laboratory investigations, significant decreases in reproductive output (egg production and spawning events) were observed in the water-only system exposures. Significant decreases in hatching success and increases in deformities were observed in the trophic-transfer system only, suggesting that the combination of both food and water was important in assessing the effects on the F1 generation. Overall, the responses in the trophic-transfer system were not comparable between the lab and field studies. In the lab study, significant decreases in reproductive output occurred, compared to the field study where significant increases in egg production and spawning events occurred. In addition, the effects on the F1 generation in the field study were not as severe as those observed in the lab investigation. It was concluded that the presence of reference water and the environment within the trophic-transfer system were responsible for this reduction in toxicity. <p> Phases I and II of this research have made significant contributions to artificial stream development within Canada for the assessment of industrial effluents and their effects on aquatic biota. The results from these studies have also demonstrated that environmentally relevant testing is essential if we are to accurately assess effects on aquatic biota. Future development and application of this bioassay should be towards developing a standardized approach for not only assessing the effects of industrial effluents in a comparative manner, but also in investigation of cause studies.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar como o grau de trofia dos reservatórios interfere na transferência trófica de ácidos graxos (FA) aos peixes teleósteos de hábitos alimentares distintos, relacionando os principais FAs considerados biomarcadores à sua importância em processos bioquímicos. Para isso, fêmeas adultas de Astyanax fasciatus, uma espécie onívora, e Hoplias malabaricus, uma espécie carnívora, foram amostradas durante um ano em dois reservatórios com diferentes graus de trofia na região metropolitana de São Paulo: Ponte Nova, considerado o reservatório referência, e o braço Taquacetuba no reservatório Billings, local hipereutrófico. O perfil de FAs do séston, conteúdo estomacal e dos triacilgliceróis (Tg) e fosfolipídios (Fl) teciduais foram analisados por cromatografia gasosa. Como um reflexo do perfil de FAs do séston, juntamente com o conteúdo estomacal, foi possível observar um predomínio de ácidos graxos polinsaturados (PUFAs) n6, como C18:2n6 e ARA (ácido araquidônico), e do FA C18:1n9 na maioria dos tecidos analisados das fêmeas de A. fasciatus no reservatório referência, enquanto houve maior porcentagem de HUFAs (ácidos graxos altamente insaturados) n3, principalmente EPA (ácido eicosapentaenoico) e DHA (ácido docosahexaenoico) nos tecidos das fêmeas coletadas no reservatório hipereutrófico, resultando em alterações nas razões n3/n6 e EPA/ARA nesses animais. O mesmo padrão de deposição dos FAs foi observado nos tecidos das fêmeas de H. malabaricus, como resultado do perfil de FAs da sua presa potencial. Contudo, o desbalanço entre as diferentes classes de PUFAs observado entre os reservatórios parece ser menor para essa espécie, não refletindo em alterações na razão EPA/ARA. Deste modo, as alterações ambientais interferiram no perfil de FAs do séston das áreas em questão e, consequentemente, na composição de FAs do alimento disponível para os níveis tróficos superiores. Este fato refletiu em modificações no perfil de FAs teciduais dos peixes dos diferentes ambientes, podendo interferir em uma gama de processos bioquímicos envolvidos com essas moléculas. Contudo, essas alterações parecem ter um efeito menor em espécies carnívoras do que onívoras / The aim of this study was to investigate how the reservoirs eutrophication degree interferes with the trophic transfer of fatty acids (FA) to teleost fish with different feeding habits, relating the major FAs considered biomarkers to their importance in biochemical processes. For this purpose, adult females of Astyanax fasciatus, an omnivorous species, and Hoplias malabaricus, a carnivorous species, were sampled for one year in two reservoirs with different eutrophication degree in the metropolitan region of São Paulo: Ponte Nova, considered a reference reservoir, and the arm Taquacetuba from Billings reservoir, an hypereutrophic site. The FA profile of seston, stomach content and tissue triglycerides (TG) and phospholipids (PL) were analyzed by gas chromatography. As a result of the sestonic FAs profile and of stomach contents, was possible to observe a predominance of n6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as C18:2n6 and ARA (arachidonic acid), and FA C18:1n9 in most analyzed tissues of A. fasciatus females from reference reservoir, while there was a higher percentage of n3 HUFAs (highly unsaturated fatty acids), especially EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in tissues of females from hypereutrophic reservoir, resulting in changes in the n3/n6 and EPA/ARA ratios in these animals. The same pattern of FAs deposition can be observed in the tissues of H. malabaricus females, as a result of the FAs profile of its potential prey, A. fasciatus. However, the imbalance of different classes of PUFAs observed between reservoirs appears to be lower, not resulting in changes in the EPA/ARA ratio in these carnivorous animals. Thus, environmental changes interfered with the FAs profile of seston in the fields, and then in the composition of FAs food available to higher trophic levels. This fact reflected in changes in the FAs profile of tissue Tgs and Fls of fish from different environments, and it can interfere in a range of biochemical processes involved with these molecules. On the other hand, these changes seem to have a lower effect in carnivorous species than omnivorous