title: Environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity studies in mussels before and after an oil spill at the marine oil terminal in the Baltic Sea.
abstract: Environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity effects in the gills of mussels Mytilus edulis, from the Baltic Sea areas close to the Būtingė oil terminal (Lithuania) before and after accidental oil spill in 31 January 2008 were studied. Mussels from the oil spillage zones were collected in 12 days, in 3 and 6 months after the spill to determine the effects of the spill. Mussels sampled in 2006-2007 were used for the assessment of the background levels of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in the Būtingė oil terminal area. Comparison of the responses in M. edulis before and after the oil spill revealed significant elevation of frequencies of micronuclei (MN), nuclear buds (NB) and fragmented-apoptotic (FA) cells. Environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity levels in mussels from the Palanga site before the accident (in June 2007) served as a reference. Six months after the accident, in July 2008, 5.6-fold increase of MN, 2.9-fold elevation of NB, and 8.8-fold elevation of FA cells were observed in mussels from the same site.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology of Nature Research Centre, Akademijos str. 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania. janbar@ekoi.lt
authors.forename: Janina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baršienė
authors.forename: Aleksandras
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rybakovas
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garnaga
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andreikėnaitė
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001454:Baltic States; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D054750:Ecotoxicology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D049880:Mytilus edulis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis