title: Assessment of the genotoxic potential along the Danube River by application of the comet assay on haemocytes of freshwater mussels: The Joint Danube Survey 3.
abstract: In this study we assessed the level of genotoxic pollution along the Danube River by measuring the level of DNA damage in the haemocytes of freshwater mussels of Unio sp. (Unio pictorum/Unio tumidus) and Sinanodonta woodiana. The comet assay was used for the assessment of DNA damage. The research was performed on 34 out of 68 sites analysed within the Joint Danube Survey 3 - the world's biggest river research expedition of its kind in 2013. During research, 2285 river kilometres were covered with an average distance of 68 km between the sites. The complex data set on concentrations of various substances present in water, suspended particulate matter and sediment on investigated sites gave the opportunity to identify the groups of xenobiotics which mostly affect the studied biomarker - DNA damage. The highest levels of DNA damage were recorded in the section VI (Panonnian Plain), which is under the impact of untreated wastewater discharges. Both positive and negative influences of the large tributaries on the level of genotoxicity in the Danube River were evident. Significant correlation in response was detected between the studied species of freshwater mussels. The level of DNA damage in mussels correlated with concentrations of compounds from the group of hazardous priority substances (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), persistent organic pollutants (dioxins) and emerging pollutants (Oxazepam, Chloridazon-desphenyl).
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Chair of Microbiology, Center for Genotoxicology and Ecogenotoxicology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: stoimirk@bio.bg.ac.rs.
authors.forename: Stoimir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kolarević
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", Despota Stefana 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kračun-Kolarević
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Chair of Microbiology, Center for Genotoxicology and Ecogenotoxicology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; University of Belgrade, Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, Kneza Višeslava 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jovana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kostić
authors.affiliation: Environmental Institute, Okružná 784/42, 972 41 Koš, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: slobodnik@ei.sk.
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slobodnik
authors.affiliation: International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, Wagramer Strasse 5, A-1220 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: igor.liska@unvienna.org.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Liška
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, Kneza Višeslava 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: zorga@imsi.rs.
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gačić
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", Despota Stefana 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: mpaunovi@ibiss.ac.rs.
authors.forename: Momir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paunović
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Chair of Microbiology, Center for Genotoxicology and Ecogenotoxicology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knežević-Vukčević
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Chair of Microbiology, Center for Genotoxicology and Ecogenotoxicology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: brankavg@bio.bg.ac.rs.
authors.forename: Branka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vuković-Gačić
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001317:Austria; D049872:Bivalvia; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005858:Germany; D006434:Hemocytes; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Comet assay; Genotoxicity; Sinanodonta woodiana; The Danube River; Unio pictorum; Unio tumidus