title: Genotoxicity detected in wild mice living in a highly polluted wetland area in south western Spain.
abstract: A field study was carried out in the south of the Iberian Peninsula in an industrial area in the neighbourhood of Huelva city, SW Spain, and in a natural area (Doñana National Park) for comparison, to estimate the genetic risk induced by environmental pollution in wild mice. Genotoxic effects in a sentinel organism, the Algerian mice (Mus spretus) free living in the industrial area were compared with animals of the same species living in the natural protected area. The single cell gel electrophoresis, or Comet assay, was performed as a genotoxicity test in peripheral blood of mice. Our results clearly show that mice free living in the contaminated area bear a high burden of genetic damage as compared with control individuals. The results suggest that the assessing of genotoxicity levels by the Comet assay in wild mice can be used as a valuable test in pollution monitoring and environmental conservation.
authors.affiliation: University of Seville, Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Avenida de la Reina Mercedes n 6, E-41012 Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mateos
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Daza
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cárdenas
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cortés
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020387:Food Chain; D007220:Industrial Waste; D051379:Mice / Q000235:genetics*; D008906:Mining; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity; D013030:Spain; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D009153:Mutagens