Resumen en inglés

With the objective of evaluating the influence of wastewater from the Berástegui channel on the formation of micronuclei and nuclear alterations (cells with blisters, lobes and slits) in erythrocytes of fish of the Andinoacara genus. 10 specimens were captured in four different sites of the channel (S1, S2, S3, S4) that were compared with a tributary without influence of wastewater that was taken as a negative control. From which blood samples were taken from a puncture in the gills, which were fixed and stained. The frequency of micronuclei and nuclear alterations was quantified from the count of 2,000 erythrocytes per individual. Significant differences were found in the micronuclei and nuclear alterations between all the sites, and the sampling stations near the city of Montería reported the highest frequencies of micronuclei and nuclear alterations, which occurred in a higher proportion than micronuclei. These results confirm that the discharge of wastewater generated by the city of Montería without the implementation of treatments, influences the formation of micronuclei and nuclear alterations in fish species and the eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems. This shows that the quantification of micronuclei and nuclear alterations in situ in fish of the genus Andinoacara can be used to evaluate the incidence of different xenobiotic pollutants in the alteration of genetic material.