title: The genotoxicity of particulate and soluble chromate in sperm whale (physeter macrocephalus) skin fibroblasts.
abstract: Hexavalent chromium is a marine pollutant of concern, both for the health of ocean ecosystems and for public health. Hexavalent chromium is known to induce genotoxicity in human and other terrestrial mammals. It is also known to be present in both water and air in the marine environment. However, currently there are limited data concerning both chromium levels and its toxicological effects in marine mammals. This study investigated the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of soluble and particulate hexavalent chromium in sperm whale skin fibroblasts. Both forms of hexavalent chromium induced concentration-dependent increases in cytotoxicity and genotoxicity indicating that these compounds can be a health risk if the whales are exposed to them. These data support a hypothesis that chromium is a concern in the marine environment in general and for the health of sperm whales in particular.
authors.affiliation: Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine, USA. john.wise@usm.maine.edu
authors.forename: John Pierce
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: Sandra S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: Carolyne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: LaCerte
authors.forename: John Pierce
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: AbouEl-Makarim
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Aboueissa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002840:Chromates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000139:chemically induced; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D050661:Sperm Whale; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D002840:Chromates; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical