Field activity: collection of sea urchins (Echinometra lucunter) and ecotoxicological tests João Paulo Novaes Lessa Barros, Flávia Rigos Salgueiro, Nathalia Garcia Aranha Cid, Renato Sakai Cid

Abstract

In recent years, marine environmental contamination by plastics, mercury, pharmaceuticals and other substances has been gradually increasing, which can induce biological effects on aquatic ecosystems. These compounds in the environment can interfere with the physiology, metabolism and behavior of species. Through ecotoxicological tests with sea urchins (Echinometra lucunter) we can study whether concentrations of certain substances, in a given location, interfere with the reproduction of urchins, which can provide support for possible recoveries. The objective of this work is to teach how the collection of these organisms is performed and to list the importance of the tests. The organisms were collected on Ilha das Palmas, Santos/SP and the ecotoxicological test was carried out at the Ecotoxicology Laboratory of Santa Cecília University.