AIM: The Caí River is one of the five that form the Guaiba Lake Hydrographic Basin. It is used for public water supply in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul; METHODS: Sediment samples for toxicity test (21 days) with Daphnia magna were taken from four sites between the middle and upper reaches in this river from Mar./05 to June/09. Their quality is described based on the survival and reproduction responses of 440 test-organisms from the beginning of their lives (2-26 hours). Percentage survival, mean and total reproduction were calculated for this evaluation. Spearman correlation and Duncan Test were used to compare reproduction between sites and variation of this parameter statistically over time. Bacteriological, physical and chemical parameters in water samples collected during the period of the study were considered; RESULTS: Acute toxicity was observed in 18% of the samples and chronic toxicity in 95%, indicating the presence of small doses of environmental aggressors. Mortality and reproduction did not always follow the same trend, and it became clear that the reproductive activity was more sensitive when compared using contaminated samples. Duncan Test showed up to four clusters at sites Ca070, Ca092 and Ca245, indicating reproduction variation. A pattern of monthly rainfall distribution was not observed, nor was there a correlation between survival, reproduction and rainfall; CONCLUSIONS: Presence of low concentrations of xenobiotics was confirmed by physical, chemical, bacteriological and metal responses in water samples, besides a small effect on survival and constant change in reproductive activity in the organisms exposed to sediment samples. Long duration assays are more appropriate to evaluate environmental samples, since usually changes in ecosystem quality are tenuous and not detected by short tests. Caí River quality has improved, but further studies are needed to confirm this trend, and to follow the history of the area with a more detailed definition of the course characteristics and the most fragile sites in the region.
cladoceran; bioassay; survival; reproduction; sediment
