Evaluation of the genotoxic potential of the mineral coal tailings through the Helix aspersa (Müller, 1774).
Coal mining is an activity with a high potential for environmental pollution. Coal has been described as the most significant pollutant of all the fossil fuels, containing a heterogeneous mixture. Many elements present in coal byproducts as well as coal tailings are rich in potentially toxic and genotoxic metals, which ultimately lead to profound changes in cells, tissues, populations, and ecosystems. The purpose of this study was to assess the genotoxic potential of the mineral coal tailings using the land snail Helix aspersa. Animals were divided in three groups, clustered in plexiglass cages: control (animals fed with organic lettuce), coal tailings (animals living in a layer of pyrite tailings and fed with organic lettuce), and mine lettuce (animals fed with lettuce grown in an area located in a deposit of coal tailings). The hemolymph was collected at different exposure times (24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, and 1 month) for comet assay analyses. Results showed that the animals of the coal tailings and mine lettuce groups presented higher levels of DNA damage in relation to the control group at all exposure times, but with a peak of DNA damage in 48 h and 96 h. These results demonstrate that the coal pyrite tailings are potentially genotoxic and that H. aspersa has proven to be a sensitive instrument for a better risk assessment of environmental pollution.
Leffa
Daniela Dimer
DD
Laboratório de Imunologia e Mutagênese, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Av. Universitária 1105, Bairro Universitário, Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
Damiani
Adriani Paganini
AP
da Silva
Juliana
J
Zocche
Jairo José
JJ
dos Santos
Carla Eliete Iochims
CE
Boufleur
Liana Appel
LA
Dias
Johnny Ferraz
JF
de Andrade
Vanessa Moraes
VM
D000818:Animals; D003031:Coal / Q000633:toxicity*; D003032:Coal Mining; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006372:Helix, Snails / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D008903:Minerals / Q000633:toxicity*; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*
D003031:Coal; D008903:Minerals; D009153:Mutagens