title: Genotoxic potential of marine sediments from the North Sea.
abstract: The alkaline comet assay is a method for detecting DNA strand breaks and alkali labile sites in individual cells. An in vitro system was used to investigate the genotoxic potential of complex mixtures such as organic extracts of marine sediments. DNA damage was induced in leukocytes isolated from carp (Cyprius carpio) by exposure to organic sediment extracts from the North Sea or hydrogen peroxide as positive control, respectively. The minimum concentration for significant effects ranged from 1 to 40 mg sediment dry weight per milliliter assay volume. The sensitivity of the method was enhanced by using the DNA repair inhibitor, 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara C). From the results, it can be suggested that total organic carbon (TOC) as well as the different compositions of contaminants present in the sediment extracts may contribute to the genotoxic effects observed. The comet assay can be applied successfully as an in vitro bioassay for investigations on genotoxicity of marine sediment extracts.
authors.affiliation: Federal Research Centre for Fisheries, Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Wüstland 2, 22589, Hamburg, Germany. kammann.ifo@bfa-fisch.de
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kammann
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Riggers
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Theobald
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Steinhart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002347:Carps; D020552:Comet Assay; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004249:DNA Damage; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D009659:North Sea
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D009153:Mutagens; D004247:DNA; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide