title: Genotoxicity in herring gulls (Larus argentatus) in Sweden and Iceland.
abstract: Adult and young herring gulls (Larus argentatus) in Sweden and Iceland were investigated with respect to DNA adducts, analysed with the nuclease-P1 version of the (32)P-postlabelling method, and micronucleated erythrocytes. Three important aims were: (1) to estimate the degree of exposure to genotoxic environmental pollutants in the Baltic Sea area and Iceland, (2) to evaluate the utility of the investigated biomarkers in birds, and (3) to investigate if there was any relationship between genotoxic effects and thiamine deficiency. The results demonstrate that both Swedish and Icelandic herring gulls are exposed to genotoxic pollution. Urban specimens have higher levels of DNA adducts than rural specimens, but background exposure to genotoxic environmental pollutants, such as PAHs, is also significant. In the herring gull the general level of DNA adducts in the liver seems to be higher than in fish. DNA adducts were most abundant in the liver, followed by the kidney, intestinal mucosa, and whole blood, in decreasing order. The frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes was probably slightly elevated in all the investigated sites, reflecting a significant background exposure. The level of DNA adducts was unrelated to the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes, and both these variables were unrelated to symptoms of thiamine deficiency. The investigation confirmed the utility of DNA adducts, and probably also micronucleated erythrocytes, as biomarkers of genotoxicity in birds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Environmental Science, Unit of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. halldora@itm.su.se
authors.forename: Halldora
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Skarphedinsdottir
authors.forename: Gunnar Thor
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Hallgrimsson
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hansson
authors.forename: Per-Ake
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hägerroth
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liewenborg
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tjärnlund
authors.forename: Gun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Akerman
authors.forename: Janina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barsiene
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000235:genetics*; D018736:DNA Adducts; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005399:Fishes / Q000235:genetics; D007055:Iceland; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018736:DNA Adducts; D004785:Environmental Pollutants