title: Effects of pollutants from power plants in Kosova on genetic loads of Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: It has been reported by the Ministry of Environment in Kosova that particle emissions from one of the units of the coal-fired power plants (Kosova A) in Kastriot/Obiliq were exceeding the European standard by some 74 times. Besides the particle emission, there is also release of sulphur dioxide, mono-nitrogen oxide (NOx), carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, organic compounds and heavy metals. In addition, there is also release of heavy metals and organic compounds from a nearby solid waste dumpsite. Together, they are considered to be responsible for the increased health problems of the population living in the vicinity.To study the genetic effects of these emissions we focused on the genetic load, that is, recessive mutations that affect the fitness of their carriers, of exposed wild living Drosophila melanogaster The effects of ash from the dumpsite on the other hand were investigated upon feeding the ash with the nutrient medium. Our results revealed that the D. melanogaster population from the Kastriot/Obiliq area carries a high genetic load of 54.7%. Drosophila fed with the nutrient medium containing ash in a concentration of 1% carried a genetic load of 37.1%, whilst increasing concentrations (2% and 3% of ash) led to higher genetic loads of 68.7% and 67.4%, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosova avdulla.alija@uni-pr.edu.
authors.forename: Avdulla J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Alija
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosova.
authors.forename: Ismet D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Bajraktari
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosova.
authors.forename: Hidajete
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Muharremi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Nikolaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bresgen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Eckl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000633:toxicity; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000633:toxicity; D059006:Chromosomes, Insect / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D040741:Genetic Load; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects; D063826:Kosovo; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000633:toxicity; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000633:toxicity; D011210:Power Plants; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002248:Carbon Monoxide
keywords: D. melanogaster; Genetic loads; Kosova; ash; pollution; power plants