RESUMO
Bisphenol-A (BPA), a known endocrine-disrupting chemical that is distributed world wide, is extensively employed in industry, dentistry and consumer household products. This study was conducted to explore the estrogenic effects of BPA on the male freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium asperulum, by examining the daily survival rate, molting frequency, hepatosomatic index (HSI), and levels of vitellogenin-like protein. Results revealed that BPA can elicit the expression of vitellogenin-like protein (0.09 and 0.09 mg P·(mg protein)-1, respectively) in male organisms exposed to 0.1 and 1 ng l-1 BPA at day 7. Moreover, prawns were perceived to be sensitive to estrogenic compounds. Hence, it can be concluded that M. asperulum can be used as a species for biomonitoring, and levels of vitellogenin-like protein in males are a useful biomarker for detecting estrogenic contaminations.