title: Genotoxicity in earthworm after combined treatment of ionising radiation and mercury.
abstract: This study was performed to investigate the acute genotoxic effects of mercury and radiation on earthworms (Eisenia fetida). The levels of DNA damage and the repair kinetics in the coelomocytes of E. fetida treated with mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) and ionising radiation (gamma rays) were analysed by means of the comet assay. For detection of DNA damage and repair, E. fetida was exposed to HgCl₂ (0-160 mg kg(-1)) and irradiated with gamma rays (0-50 Gy) in vivo. The increase in DNA damage depended on the concentration of mercury or dose of radiation. The results showed that the more the oxidative stress induced by mercury and radiation the longer the repair time that was required. When a combination of HgCl₂ and gamma rays was applied, the cell damage was much higher than those treated with HgCl₂ or radiation alone, which indicated that the genotoxic effects were increased after the combined treatment of mercury and radiation.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup 580-185, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Ho
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: College of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-Guk
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup 580-185, Republic of Korea jkkim@kaeri.re.kr.
authors.forename: Jin Kyu
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008628:Mercury / Q000633:toxicity*; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000528:radiation effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury