title: Monitoring of DNA damage in haemocytes of freshwater mussel Sinanodonta woodiana sampled from the Velika Morava River in Serbia with the comet assay.
abstract: This study was undertaken to investigate the potential of the freshwater mussel Sinanodonta woodiana for detection of genotoxic pollution of the environment. Study was performed at two sites in the Velika Morava River, from May 2010 to February 2011. The alkaline comet assay on haemocytes was used, and the olive tail moment (OTM) was chosen as a measure of DNA damage. The specimens held on acclimation under controlled laboratory conditions for 10d were used as a control. Chemical analysis revealed the presence of phosphates and increased concentrations of zinc, copper and nickel at both sites during the entire sampling period. The values of OTM in mussels collected from the environment, significantly correlated with the concentration of zinc (r=0.6248), temperature (r=0.7006) and dissolved oxygen (r=0.7738). Seasonal variations in genotoxic response were observed, with the highest OTM values obtained during summer months. Preliminary results of the in vitro study indicated the effect of water temperature on genotoxic response to zinc and cadmium in S. woodiana suggesting that the presence of genotoxic pollutants during months with lower temperature could be under-estimated. Obtained results indicate that S. woodiana could be a valuable tool for active biomonitoring of aquatic environments and emphasizes the importance of seasonal genotoxic monitoring with this organism.
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Chair of Microbiology, Center for Genotoxicology and Ecogenotoxicology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Beograd, Serbia. stoimirk@bio.bg.ac.rs
authors.forename: Stoimir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kolarević
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knežević-Vukčević
authors.forename: Momir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paunović
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kračun
authors.forename: Božica
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vasiljević
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tomović
authors.forename: Branka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vuković-Gačić
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gačić
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D055771:Serbia; D013696:Temperature; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity; D015032:Zinc / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D015032:Zinc
keywords: Comet assay; Haemocytes; Sinanodonta woodiana; Velika morava river