Genotoxicity assessment of suspended particulate matter in the Elbe river: comparison of Salmonella microsome test, arabinose resistance test, and umu-test

Bacterial worth in genotoxicity assessment studies

Bacterial-based genotoxicity test systems play a significant role in the detection and evaluation of genotoxicity in vitro and have gained importance due to attributes like wide applicability, speed, high sensitivity, good reproducibility, and simplicity. The Salmonella microsomal mutagenicity assay was created by Ames and colleagues at the beginning of the 1970s, and it was based on the fundamental notion that in auxotrophic bacterial strains with inhibited growth, a mutant gene would revert to its original state on exposure to genotoxicants. This is the most successful and widely used in vitro genotoxicity test. Later, a number of additional test systems that incorporated DNA repair mechanisms including the bacterial SOS response were created. Genetic engineering has further provided significant advancement in these test systems with the development of highly sophisticated bacterial tester strains with significantly increased sensitivity to evaluate the chemical nature of hazardous substances and pollutants. These bacterial bioassays render an opportunity to detect the defined effects of compounds at the molecular level. In this review, all the aspects related to the bacterial system in genotoxicity assessment have been summarized and their role is elaborated concerning real-time requirements and future perspectives.

Use of low density polyethylene membranes for assessment of genotoxicity of PAHs in the Seine River

The genotoxicity of river water dissolved contaminants is usually estimated after grab sampling of river water. Water contamination can now be obtained with passive samplers that allow a time-integrated sampling of contaminants. Since it was verified that low density polyethylene membranes (LDPE) accumulate labile hydrophobic compounds, their use was proposed as a passive sampler. This study was designed to test the applicability of passive sampling for combined chemical and genotoxicity measurements. The LDPE extracts were tested with the umu test (TA1535/pSK1002 ± S9) and the Ames assay (TA98, TA100 and YG1041 ± S9). We describe here this new protocol and its application in two field studies on four sites of the Seine River. Field LDPE extracts were negative with the YG1041 and TA100 and weakly positive with the TA98 + S9 and Umu test. Concentrations of labile mutagenic PAHs were higher upstream of Paris than downstream of Paris. Improvement of the method is needed to determine the genotoxicity of low concentrations of labile dissolved organic contaminants.

Evaluation of Genotoxic and Mutagenic Activity of Organic Extracts from Drinking Water Sources

An increasing number of industrial, agricultural and commercial chemicals in the aquatic environment lead to various deleterious effects on organisms, which is becoming a serious global health concern. In this study, the Ames test and SOS/umu test were conducted to investigate the potential genotoxicity and mutagenicity caused by organic extracts from drinking water sources. Organic content of source water was extracted with XAD-2 resin column and organic solvents. Four doses of the extract equivalent to 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2L of source water were tested for toxicity. All the water samples were collected from six different locations in Guangdong province. The results of the Ames test and SOS/umu test showed that all the organic extracts from the water samples could induce different levels of DNA damage and mutagenic potentials at the dose of 2 L in the absence of S9 mix, which demonstrated the existence of genotoxicity and mutagenicity. Additionally, we found that Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98 was more sensitive for the mutagen. Correlation analysis between genotoxicity, Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) showed that most individual OCPs were frame shift toxicants in drinking water sources, and there was no correlation with total OCPs and PAHs.

Assessment of the Mutagenicity of Sediments from Yangtze River Estuary Using Salmonella Typhimurium/Microsome Assay

Sediments in estuaries are of important environmental concern because they may act as pollution sinks and sources to the overlying water body. These sediments can be accumulated by benthic organisms. This study assessed the mutagenic potential of sediment extracts from the Yangtze River estuary by using the Ames fluctuation assay with the Salmonella typhimurium his (-) strain TA98 (frameshift mutagen indicator) and TA100 (baseshift mutagen indicator). Most of the sediment samples were mutagenic to the strain TA98, regardless of the presence or absence of exogenous metabolic activation (S9 induction by β-naphthoflavone/phenobarbital). However, none of the samples were mutagenic to the strain TA100. Thus, the mutagenicity pattern was mainly frameshift mutation, and the responsible toxicants were both direct (without S9 mix) and indirect (with S9 mix) mutagens. The mutagenicity of the sediment extracts increased when S9 was added. Chemical analysis showed a poor correlation between the content of priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the detected mutagenicity in each sample. The concept of effect-directed analysis was used to analyze possible compounds responsible for the detected mutagenic effects. With regard to the mutagenicity of sediment fractions, non-polar compounds as well as weakly and moderately polar compounds played a main role. Further investigations should be conducted to identify the responsible components.

Assessment of micronuclei induction in peripheral blood and gill cells of some fish species from Aliağa Bay Turkey

The aim of this paper was to assess the biological damages in fish caused by various mutagenic agents present in polluted waters of Aliağa Bay. For this purpose, micronuclei (MN) test was performed using peripheral erythrocytes and gill cells of different fish specimens caught from both polluted and relatively clean sites from Aliağa Bay (Turkey). Micronuclei tests is a system of mutagenicity testing used for determining changes in DNA fragments such as micronuclei in the cytoplasm of interphase cells caused by the pollution and chemicals in the environment. Thus, it was attempted to determine whether pollution affected the erythrocytes and gills of fish living in Aliağa Bay at the level of DNA by the means of micronuclei (MN) test. According to the results of present study, frequency of MN was found at high level in polluted site. In conclusion, this study indicates that the micronuclei test gives sensitive results in monitoring the pollution, especially the pollution of harbor, and thus it might be used as standard method in regularly monitoring pollution of coastal ecosystem.

Human hepatoma cells exposed to estuarine sediment contaminant extracts permitted the differentiation between cytotoxic and pro-mutagenic fractions

Complex toxicant mixtures present in estuarine sediments often render contaminant screening unfeasible and compromise determining causation. HepG2 cells were subjected to bioassays with sediment extracts obtained with a series of progressively polar solvents plus a crude extract. The sediments were collected from an impacted area of an estuary otherwise regarded as pristine, whose stressors result mostly from aquaculture effluents and hydrodynamic shifts that enhance particle deposition. Compared to a reference scenario, the most polar extracts yielded highest cytotoxicity while higher genotoxicity (including oxidative damage) was elicited by non-polar solvents. While the former caused effects similar to those expected from biocides, the latter triggered effects compatible with known pro-mutagens like PAHs, even though the overall levels of toxicants were considered of low risk. The results indicate that the approach may constitute an effective line-of-evidence to infer on the predominant set of hazardous contaminants present in complex environmental mixtures.

Hazard assessment of sediments from a wetland system for treatment of landfill leachate using bioassays

Four bioassays were used in this study for the hazard assessment of sediments from sediment traps and several ponds in a treatment wetland for landfill leachate at Atleverket, Sweden. In the 6-day solid phase microbiotest with the sediment-dwelling crustacean Heterocypris incongruens both acute and chronic effects were observed with a gradual decrease and loss of toxicity with treatment in the wetland system. Some samples showed a low toxicity in porewater and only one sample was weakly toxic in the whole sediment test when assessed with Aliivibrio fischeri (Vibro fischeri). No genotoxicity was detected in the umu test. The toxicity response in the H4IIE- luc test evaluating the presence of dioxin-like compounds was considerably higher in the samples from the sediment traps. The hazard of the sediment therefore appears to be highest in the sediment traps and pond 1 with the methods employed. The result indicates that the wetland system has a design supporting the concentration and sequestration of toxic substances in the first part of the wetland. Based upon the results we suggest that hazard assessment of sediments from other treatment wetlands for landfill leachate should be conducted.

Electrochemical genotoxicity assay based on a SOS/umu test using hydrodynamic voltammetry in a droplet

The SOS/umu genotoxicity assay evaluates the primary DNA damage caused by chemicals from the β-galactosidase activity of S. typhimurium. One of the weaknesses of the common umu test system based on spectrophotometric detection is that it is unable to measure samples containing a high concentration of colored dissolved organic matters, sediment, and suspended solids. However, umu tests with electrochemical detection techniques prove to be a better strategy because it causes less interference, enables the analysis of turbid samples and allows detection even in small volumes without loss of sensitivity. Based on this understanding, we aim to develop a new umu test system with hydrodynamic chronoamperometry using a rotating disk electrode (RDE) in a microliter droplet. PAPG when used as a substrate is not electroactive at the potential at which PAP is oxidized to p-quinone imine (PQI), so the current response of chronoamperometry resulting from the oxidation of PAP to PQI is directly proportional to the enzymatic activity of S. typhimurium. This was achieved by performing genotoxicity tests for 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-acrylamide (AF-2) and 2-aminoanthracene (2-AA) as model genotoxic compounds. The results obtained in this study indicated that the signal detection in the genotoxicity assay based on hydrodynamic voltammetry was less influenced by the presence of colored components and sediment particles in the samples when compared to the usual colorimetric signal detection. The influence caused by the presence of humic acids (HAs) and artificial sediment on the genotoxic property of selected model compounds such as 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (4-NQO), 3-chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (MX), 1,8-dinitropyrene (1,8-DNP) and 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) were also investigated. The results showed that the genotoxicity of 1-NP and MX changed in the presence of 10 mg∙L-1 HAs. The genotoxicity of tested chemicals with a high hydrophobicity such as 1,8-DNP and 1-NP were decreased substantially with the presence of 1 g∙L-1 sediment. This was not observed in the case of genotoxins with a low log K(ow) value.

Antioxidant, genotoxic and antigenotoxic activities of daphne gnidium leaf extracts

Background

Plants play a significant role in maintaining human health and improving the quality of human life. They serve humans well as valuable components of food, as well as in cosmetics, dyes, and medicines. In fact, many plant extracts prepared from plants have been shown to exert biological activity in vitro and in vivo. The present study explored antioxidant and antigenotoxic effects of Daphne gnidium leaf extracts.

Methods

The genotoxic potential of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and total oligomer flavonoid (TOF) enriched extracts from leaves of Daphne gnidium, was assessed using Escherichia coli PQ37. Likewise, the antigenotoxicity of the same extracts was tested using the “SOS chromotest test”. Antioxidant activities were studied using non enzymatic and enzymatic method: NBT/Riboflavine and xantine oxidase.

Results

None of the different extracts produced a genotoxic effect, except TOF extract at the lowest tested dose. Our results showed that D. gnidium leaf extracts possess an antigenotoxic effect against the nitrofurantoin a mutagen of reference. Ethyl acetate and TOF extracts were the most effective in inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity. While, methanol extract was the most potent superoxide scavenger when tested with the NBT/Riboflavine assay.

Conclusions

The present study has demonstrated that D. gnidium leaf extract possess antioxidant and antigenotoxic effects. These activities could be ascribed to compounds like polyphenols and flavonoid. Further studies are required to isolate the active molecules.

Comprehensive sediment toxicity assessment of Hessian surface waters using Lumbriculus variegatus and Chironomus riparius

The objective of this study was a sediment assessment of predominantly small rivers in the German federal state of Hesse. For this purpose, sediment samples were taken at 50 study sites with different contamination levels. The benthic invertebrates Chironomus riparius (Diptera) and Lumbriculus variegatus (Oligochaeta) were used as test species and exposed to whole sediments in chronic laboratory experiments. The bioassays were carried out on the basis of OECD guidelines 218 and 225 for the testing of chemicals. For about 50 % of the study sites chemical analytical data for pollutants from environmentally important substance classes like metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organotin compounds were available. These data were used to analyze correlations between effects in the bioassays and measured chemical contaminations at sampling sites. For 22 % of the sediments ecologically relevant adverse effects were observed. In the majority of these cases effects occurred in only one of the biotests, and only one sediment sample exerted a negative effect on both test organisms. There was no significant correlation between biological responses and chemical data considering substance classes. However, there was a weak positive correlation between arsenic concentration and both worm number and worm biomass as well as a weak positive correlation between single PAHs and worm biomass. In some sediment tests elevated ammonia concentrations occurred in the overlying water so that an influence of these partially toxic concentrations on the test results cannot be ruled out.

Oxidative stress-mediated genotoxicity of wastewaters collected from two different stations in northern India

Oxidative stress-mediated genotoxicity of wastewaters taken from two different cities, Saharanpur (SWW) and Aligarh (AWW), were compared with a battery of short-term assays namely the Allium cepa genotoxicity test, the plasmid-nicking assay, and the Ames fluctuation test. Both test-water samples - when used undiluted - increased the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities and/or micronuclei and alterations in the mitotic index of root cells of Allium cepa. Bridges and fragmentation of the chromosome were the predominant effects of the Saharanpur water sample while the Aligarh sample induced mainly chromosome fragmentation. Single- and double-strand breaks were also observed in plasmid DNA treated with these test wastewaters. The plasmid-nicking assay performed on SWW resulted in linearization of plasmid DNA when 18μl was tested (in a total reaction volume of 20μl). However, with the same amount of AWW, all three forms of plasmid, viz. supercoiled, open circular and linear were observed. Supplementation with specific scavengers of reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused a significant decline in mutagenicity of test-water samples in all the tests, pointing at oxidative stress as the mediator of the observed genotoxicity. The role of heavy metals in the AWW-induced oxidative stress and that of phenolics in SWW cannot be ruled out.

Detecting micronuclei frequency in some aquatic organisms for monitoring pollution of Izmir Bay (Western Turkey)

Micronuclei tests is a system of mutagenicity testing used for determining the pollution and chemicals causing changes in DNA fragments such as micronuclei in the cytoplasm of interphase cells. Damage caused on the DNA by genotoxic pollutants is the first consequence occurring in the aquatic organisms. Thus, it was attempted to determine whether pollution affected the erythrocytes and gills of fish Gobius niger and haemolymph and gills of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis living in Izmir Bay at the level of DNA by the means of micronuclei (MN) test. Organisms used in the MN test were collected from seven locations (Alsancak, Alaybey Shipyard, Karsiyaka, Bostanli, Göztepe, Konak and Pasaport) which are known as the most polluted part of inner Bay of Izmir (Western Coast of Turkey). According to the results of the present study, frequency of MN was found at high level in Alaybey Shipyard and Pasaport where wastes from existing dockyard contributed to high level of pollution. In conclusion, this study indicates that the micronuclei test gives sensitive results in monitoring the pollution, especially the pollution of harbor, and thus it might be used as standard method in regular monitoring of pollution of coastal ecosystem.

Salmonella mutagenicity analysis of water samples from Camalti Saltern

Mutagenicity analysis of water samples from Camalti Saltern, Turkey were investigated by applying Salmonella mutagenicity test. Plate incorporation assay was applied in the absence of metabolic activation. XAD 4 and XAD 16 columns were used for the fractionation of the water samples. The results obtained were negative in both TA 98 and TA 100. Although the number of revertants of XAD 16 extract in station B were higher than the revertants in the other stations for TA 98 strain when compared to the solvent control. However this was not significant to be considered as mutagenic. The results were discussed for the future analysis.

Ames test evaluation of two commercially available zero-valent nickel compounds

Zero-valent nickel compounds are organometallic chemicals that are used in synthetic applications and may also occur as intermediates in nickel-catalyzed hydrogenation reactions used in food processing. Few studies have been performed on their possible genotoxic actions. We have tested two commercially available examples of this class of compounds. Solubility and stability were examined. Mutagenicity testing did not confirm a previous report that bis(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel is positive in the Ames assay. No stimulation of lipid peroxidation was observed in studies of bovine erythrocytes exposed in vitro. Our results do not indicate that zero-valent nickel compounds have genotoxic effects.

Antioxidant activity and inhibition of aflatoxin B1-, nifuroxazide-, and sodium azide-induced mutagenicity by extracts from Rhamnus alaternus L

The effect of extracts obtained from Rhamnus alaternus L. leaves on genotoxicity and SOS response induced by aflatoxin B(1) (10 microg/assay) as well as nifuroxazide (20 microg/assay) was investigated in a bacterial assay system, i.e., the SOS chromotest with Escherichia coli PQ37. The evaluation of the mutagenic and antimutagenic actions of the same extracts against the sodium azide (1.5 microg/plate)-induced mutagenicity was assayed using the Salmonella typhimurium assay system. The R. alaternus tested extracts exhibited no genotoxicity either with or without the external S9 activation mixture. However, all the extracts, particularly aqueous extract (A) and its chloroformic fraction (A(2)) significantly decreased the genotoxicity induced by aflatoxin B(1) and nifuroxazide. Moreover, the different extracts showed no mutagenicity when tested with Salmonella typhimurium strains TA1535 and TA1538 either with or without the S9 mix. Aqueous extract as well as its A(2) fraction exhibited the highest level of protection towards the direct mutagen, sodium azide-induced response in TA1535 strain with mutagenicity inhibition percentages of 83.6% and 91.4%, respectively, at a dose of 250 microg/plate. The results obtained by the Ames test assay confirm those of SOS chromotest. These same active extracts exhibited high xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibiting with respective IC(50) values of 208 and 137 microg/ml, and superoxide anion-scavenging effects (IC(50) values of 132 and 117 microg/ml) when tested in the XOD enzymatic assay system. Our findings emphasize the potential of R. alaternus to prevent mutations and also its antioxidant effect.

PAH content, toxicity and genotoxicity of coastal marine sediments from the Rovinj area, Northern Adriatic, Croatia

Surface marine sediments collected from 8 sampling sites within the Rovinj coastal area, Northern Adriatic, Croatia, were used for determining priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and toxic/genotoxic potential of sediment organic extracts. Total PAH concentrations ranged from 32 microg/kg (protected area) to 13.2 mg/kg dry weight (harbor) and showed clear differences between pristine, urban industrial and harbor areas. PAHs distribution revealed their pyrogenic origin with some biogenic influence in harbor. At all sampling sites sediment extracts showed toxic potential that was consistent with the sediment type. No correlation between toxicity measured by Microtox assay and concentrations of individual or total PAHs was found. Noncytotoxic dose of sediment extracts showed no genotoxic potential in bacterial umu-test. DNA damage is positively related to total PAHs at 4 sampling sites (S-1, S-2, S-3, S-6), but the highest DNA damage was not observed at the site with the highest total sediment PAH content (S-5).

Evaluating genotoxicity associated with microcystin-LR and its risk to source water safety in Meiliang Bay, Taihu Lake

In recent years cyanobacteria blooms have become a severe problem in Taihu Lake, a large shallow eutrophic lake in China. Microcystins produced by certain genera of cyanobacteria can affect public health in this area because of their acute and chronic toxic effects. In this study, samples of cyanobacteria were collected and extracted by two solvent systems. The extracts were tested with three short-term genotoxicity assays, the ara test, the Ames test, and the SOS/umu test. In addition, temporal variation in the concentrations of microcystin-LR in the water samples was determined and monitored by an ELISA assay. Then the concentration of microcystin-LR in the drinking water was estimated. The risk of microcystin-LR exposure by drinking water was assessed according to tolerable daily intake (TDI). The three genotoxicity assays showed negative results regardless of the solvent system used, and there were clear inconsistencies in the spatiotemporal profiles of genotoxic potential and microcystin concentrations in Taihu Lake. Risk assessment showed that the drinking water from Taihu Lake was not safe from the end of July to the beginning of November because of a high concentration of microcystin-LR. Our study indicated the drinking water from Taihu Lake posed a risk because of the microcystin-LR, although it was neither genotoxic nor associated with genotoxicity of the lake water.

Further development of the beta-lactamase MutaGen assay and evaluation by comparison with Ames fluctuation tests and the umu test

A rapid, high-throughput bacterial mutagenicity test system has been developed (MutaGen test) that detects reversions of inactivating base-pair substitutions and frameshifts in a TEM-1 class A beta-lactamase (ampicillinase) gene. To quickly and sensitively detect mutagens, the system utilises a series of plasmids that contain the mutated ampicillinase gene and the mucAB operon. Inactivating mutations in the ampicillinase gene include frameshifts integrated into repetitive GC-sequences and G-runs known to be mutagenic hot-spots, and base-pair substitutions inserted in or around the beta-lactamase active site. Frameshift mutations completely inactivated the enzyme only when located downstream of the active-site serine (Ser68). Previous (reporter gene based) assays with this system have detected reversion to ampicillin resistance by luminescence driven by induction of the tet-promotor controlled lacZ gene. In the present study, we describe the construction and evaluation of 19 additional potential tester strains. We also developed conditions for detecting reversions by pH shift using bromocresol purple and by directly detecting the enzymatic activity of beta-lactamase using nitrocefin. A 384-well format version of the pH shift MutaGen test was used to assay more than 20 chemicals. The responses in the assay were compared with responses for the same chemicals in the umu test and Ames fluctuation assays. The results indicate that the MutaGen test has high specificity for detecting specific mutations and, in some instances, better sensitivity than the other tests. Since the test is easy to conduct, sterile working conditions are not necessary, and the mutagenicity results are available either within one working day or overnight, the assay shows promise for the rapid screening of potentially genotoxic substances.

The mutagenic hazards of aquatic sediments: a review

Sediments are the sink for particle-sorbed contaminants in aquatic systems and can serve as a reservoir of toxic contaminants that continually threaten the health and viability of aquatic biota. This work is a comprehensive review of published studies that investigated the genotoxicity of sediments in rivers, lakes and marine habitats. The Salmonella mutagenicity test is the most frequently used assay and accounts for 41.1% of the available data. The Salmonella data revealed mutagenic potency values for sediment extracts (in revertants per gram dry weight) that spans over seven orders of magnitude from not detectable to highly potent (10(5) rev/g). Analyses of the Salmonella data (n=510) showed significant differences between rural, urban/industrial, and heavily contaminated (e.g., dump) sites assessed using TA98 and TA100 with S9 activation. Additional analyses showed a significant positive correlation between Salmonella mutagenic potency (TA98 and TA100 with S9) and PAH contamination (r2=0.19-0.68). The second and third most commonly used assays for the analysis of sediments and sediment extracts are the SOS Chromotest (9.2%) and the Mutatox assays (7.8%), respectively. These assays are frequently used for rapid initial screening of collected samples. A variety of other in vitro endpoints employing cultured fish and mammalian cells have been used to investigate sediment genotoxic activity. Endpoints investigated include sister chromatid exchange frequency, micronucleus frequency, chromosome aberration frequency, gene mutation at tk and hprt loci, unscheduled DNA synthesis, DNA adduct frequency, and DNA strand break frequency. More complex in vivo assays have documented a wide range of effects including neoplasms and preneoplastic lesions in fish and invertebrate exposed ex situ. Although costly and time consuming, these assays have provided definitive evidence linking sediment contamination and a variety of genotoxic and carcinogenic effects observed in situ.

Mutagens in surface waters: a review

A review of the literature on the mutagenicity/genotoxicity of surface waters is presented in this article. Subheadings of this article include a description of sample concentration methods, mutagenic/genotoxic bioassay data, and suspected or identified mutagens in surface waters published in the literature since 1990. Much of the published surface water mutagenicity/genotoxicity studies employed the Salmonella/mutagenicity test with strains TA98 and/or TA100 with and/or without metabolic activation. Among all data analyzed, the percentage of positive samples toward TA98 was approximately 15%, both in the absence and the presence of S9 mix. Those positive toward TA100 were 7%, both with and without S9 mix. The percentage classified as highly mutagenic (2500-5000 revertants per liter) or extremely mutagenic (more than 5000 revertants per liter) was approximately 3-5% both towards TA98 and TA100, regardless of the absence or the presence of S9 mix. This analysis demonstrates that some rivers in the world, especially in Europe, Asia and South America, are contaminated with potent direct-acting and indirect-acting frameshift-type and base substitution-type mutagens. These rivers are reported to be contaminated by either partially treated or untreated discharges from chemical industries, petrochemical industries, oil refineries, oil spills, rolling steel mills, untreated domestic sludges and pesticides runoff. Aquatic organisms such as teleosts and bivalves have also been used as sentinels to monitor contamination of surface water with genotoxic chemicals. DNA modifications were analyzed for this purpose. Many studies indicate that the 32P-postlabeling assay, the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay and the micronucleus test are sensitive enough to monitor genotoxic responses of indigenous aquatic organisms to environmental pollution. In order to efficiently assess the presence of mutagens in the water, in addition to the chemical analysis, mutagenicity/genotoxicity assays should be included as additional parameters in water quality monitoring programs. This is because according to this review they proved to be sensitive and reliable tools in the detection of mutagenic activity in aquatic environment. Many attempts to identify the chemicals responsible for the mutagenicity/genotoxicity of surface waters have been reported. Among these reports, researchers identified heavy metals, PAHs, heterocyclic amines, pesticides and so on. By combining the blue cotton hanging method as an adsorbent and the O-acetyltransferase-overproducing strain as a sensitive strain for aminoarenes, Japanese researchers identified two new type of potent frameshift-type mutagens, formed unintentionally, in several surface waters. One group has a 2-phenylbenzotriazole (PBTA) structure, and seven analogues, PBTA-type mutagens, were identified in surface waters collected at sites below textile dyeing factories and municipal wastewater treatment plants treating domestic wastes and effluents. The other one has a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) skelton with nitro and amino substitution group and it was revealed to be 4-amino-3,3'-dichloro-5,4'-dinitrobiphenyl derived from chemical plants treating polymers and dye intermediates. However, the identification of major putative mutagenic/genotoxic compounds in most surface waters with high mutagenic/genotoxic activity in the world have not been performed. Further efforts on chemical isolation and identification by bioassay-directed chemical analysis should be performed.

Analysis of micronuclei in blue mussels and fish from the Baltic and North Seas

Micronuclei (MN) were analyzed in erythrocytes of flounder (Platichthys flesus) and wrasse (Symphodus melops) and in gill cells of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). The organisms were collected from three study stations in the Baltic Sea and from seven stations in the North Sea (Karmsund area, Norway) 4 times. The statistically significant differences obtained were related to the season, sex of the fish, and sampling locality. Higher MN frequencies were found in fish and mussels collected from the most polluted study stations in the North Sea. The same tendency could be described in the Baltic Sea; however, it was masked by the recent oil spill from the Butinge oil terminal. Our results showing higher MN frequencies in presumably what were the most polluted study locations suggest that MN tests in fish and mussels may be used for the detection of genotoxic effects in a marine environment. The endpoint is well characterized and can be easily recognized, and the technique is convenient to use in field samplings following standard procedures and protocols.

Evaluation of the Salmonella umu test with 83 NTP chemicals

There is a need for simple rapid tests for evaluating the carcinogenic potential of the thousands of chemical compounds that are developed each year. The DNA-damaging effects of 83 National Toxicology Program (NTP) chemicals, including noncarcinogens and carcinogens, were examined in the umu test by measuring the expression of the umuDC-lacZ genes in Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002. Salmonella were exposed to individual NTP chemicals at 37 degrees C for 2 hr both with and without a rat liver S9 mix; the treated cells were then diluted and incubated for a further 2 hr (posttreatment assay). O-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactoside was added to the cultures and the beta-galactosidase activity driven by the Salmonella umuDC-lacZ genes was determined by measurement of the OD(420 nm) and OD(550 nm) of the cultures. Salmonella cell number was simultaneously determined by measurement of OD(600 nm). The overall concordance between genotoxicity in the umu test and carcinogenicity was 67%, which was similar to the concordance between Ames' test results and carcinogenicity (63%) using the same 83 NTP chemicals. The results of this study indicate that the umu test with a single Salmonella strain is a simple rapid system, with accuracy comparable to existing, more time-consuming assays.

The Salmonella mutagenicity of industrial, surface and ground water samples of Aligarh region of India

The genotoxicity of three water bodies, viz. industrial waste water of Aligarh city, ground water pumped out from the industrial area of Aligarh, and river water of Yamuna, downstream of Agra, was carried out by means of Ames plate incorporation test and the Ames fluctuation test. All the test samples were significantly mutagenic in both the testing systems. The ground water and river water samples were subjected to XAD concentration prior to the mutagenicity/genotoxicity testing, while the industrial waste water was used directly. Whereas TA98, TA102 and TA104 strains have been found to be maximally sensitive in the Ames plate incorporation assay conducted for various water samples, TA98 and TA100 strains were the most responsive strains in the Ames fluctuation test. The apparent disparity in the sensitivity patterns of various Ames strains by plate incorporation and fluctuation assays could be attributed to a large extent to the different conventional ways of interpretation of the data in these systems.

The mutagenic potentials of tap water samples in Shanghai

The tap water samples were collected from the users' ends in several areas of Shanghai, which is located in Taihu Lake basin, Eastern China. Source water samples were also collected from two municipal source water facilities at the same time. Samples were assayed by three different short-term mutagenicity test systems: Salmonella/microsome assay (Ames test), the Arabinose resistance test (Ara test) and the SOS/umu test. The data showed that two source water samples did not display direct mutagenic potentials. Two tap water samples from city north, which were directly from Yangtze River, were also not mutagenic. Water samples from city south and middle which used source water originating from Taihu Lake were proved to be contaminated with mutagenic potentials by three different assay techniques. The boiled water displayed an even stronger mutagenic potential compared to its original tap water. The molecular mechanism of mutagenicity was associated with a reading frame-shifting potential. GC-MS analysis of tap water extracts from city middle and corresponding source water was compared. Qualitatively similar spectra were observed except for the peaks of three chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbon compounds, which existed only in the tap water. Since the water source has been polluted, raw water was heavily chlorinated in order to sterilize. More toxic compounds, including mutagens, might form during the multi-chlorination. Caution about the possibility of elevated cancer risks in the population that consumes heavily chlorinated water should be kept in mind. A cohort study in the residents of Shanghai is required.

Bioassay-directed chemical analysis of River Elbe surface water including large volume extractions and high performance fractionation

A bioassay-directed fractionation and identification (toxicity identification evaluation procedure) was performed on extracts of 10 1 River Elbe water samples. The experimental method included a SDB-1 solid phase extraction followed by RP-HPLC fractionation and subfractionation. Chemical analysis by GC-MS as well as acute toxicity testing using a luminescent bacteria assay were conducted in the respective fractions. Many substances were identified, among which were pesticides and pharmaceuticals, but many compounds remained unknown.

In vitro suppression of thymocyte apoptosis by metal-rich complex environmental mixtures: potential role of zinc and cadmium excess

Excessive amounts of heavy metals (e.g. Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr) are accumulated in river bottom sediments (RBS), being available to humans and animals along food chains. Increased exposure of mammals to certain metals (Cr, Cu) induces immunosuppresion, due to DNA damage and decreased survival of lymphoid cells. By contrast, excess of Zn and Cd causes inhibition of apoptosis thus suggesting increased survival of genetically mutated cells and higher cancer risks in exposed populations. Rat thymic lymphocytes represent a well-established model for apoptosis testing. The primary goal of our study was to assess the degree of apoptosis modulation with a number of RBS extracts differing in their metal contents. A series of freshly deposited RBS was collected at nine sampling stations along the Elbe River. All sediments were rich in Fe, Mn and Zn. The contents of Cu, Cr, Ni, Cd, Hg, Pb and As were much lower and interrelated. The short-term cytotoxicity of aqueous sediment extracts was assessed, using the following criteria: total cell counts; incidence of apoptosis and necrosis (morphological detection by fluorescent microscopy); and nuclear chromatin decay (by DNA flow cytometry). RBS extracts produced both apoptosis and necrosis of thymocytes. High contents of zinc and other heavy metals in the samples correlated with decreased thymocyte apoptosis (r= -0.543 to -0.608, P <0.01). The rates of thymocyte damage showed a distinct dependence on the time and region of sampling. Apoptosis modulation was also tested with pure salts of Mn(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), Cr(III) and Cd(II), at the test concentrations of 1, 10 and 100 microM. Cu(II) and Cr(III) proved to induce marked dose-related apoptosis, whereas Zn(II) ions caused significant suppression of apoptosis. These effects were similar to those trends observed with metal-rich sediments. In the present study. DNA flow cytometry proved to be a less sensitive index of cell death than morphological assay of apoptosis and/or necrosis. In summary, inhibition of lymphocyte apoptosis by RBS extracts and pure metals is associated with excess of zinc and, probably, cadmium. The proposed model of lymphoid cell apoptosis is a promising tool for screening cytotoxic effects of complex environmental samples.

A permanent fish cell line (EPC) for genotoxicity testing of marine sediments with the comet assay

Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity were evaluated in an in vitro system with a permanent cell line Epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) derived from a skin tumour of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). EPC cells were exposed to different concentrations of organic sediment extracts from the North Sea for 24h. After incubation the cells were analysed for viability and DNA strand breaks with the comet assay or single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE). The results confirm the sensitivity of this assay. Out of 10 marine sediment samples from the North Sea, 9 showed a dose-dependent genotoxic effect. The EC(50) of sediment extracts ranged from 7 to 307 mg sediment dry weight/ml assay volume. Hepatic microsomal enzymes from dab (Limanda limanda L.) was proposed for enzymatic activation of benzo[a]pyrene (BAP) or sediment extracts, respectively. The suitability of this in vitro test system for assessing genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of marine sediment extracts on EPC cells could be demonstrated.

Toxicological profile of pollutants in surface water from an area in Taihu Lake, Yangtze Delta

The environment in urbanized areas is often contaminated with a complex mixture of toxic compounds originating from industries, agriculture and private households. Most of the contaminants end up in surface waters, such as lakes, rivers and finally the sea. Toxic contaminants may disturb the biological condition of aquatic ecosystems and be harmful for humans, if they are transported to human food or drinking water. A variety of biological tests have been introduced for monitoring the toxicological profile of aquatic ecosystems. In the present investigation, genotoxic, hormone disrupting and Ah-receptor activity was analyzed in water collected in January 1999 at Meiliang Bay, Taihu Lake, China, near to the city of Wuxi in the Shanghai area. Significant mutagenic activity could be detected in water extracts with the Salmonella/microsome assay and the arabinose resistance test. Frame shift mutations were the predominant mode of action. Ah-receptor active compounds were detected by using a luciferase reporter gene assay (CALUX-assay). The estimated toxic equivalent factor-values ranged between 134 and 232 pg TCCD-equivalents per liter lake water. The estrogen-like potential of Taihu water was estimated with two luciferase reporter gene assays using transgenic human cell lines expressing estrogen receptor alpha. Estradiol equivalents obtained with water extracts were in the range of 2.2-12.1 ng/l. We also analyzed the concentrations of 17-beta-estradiol and ethinylestradiol in the extracts using a high-pressure liquid chromatography-method. The values obtained correlated with the biologically determined estradiol equivalents, indicating that the estrogenic activity is mainly due to natural and synthetic hormones rather than xenoestrogens.

Tail moment versus tail length--application of an in vitro version of the comet assay in biomonitoring for genotoxicity in native surface waters using primary hepatocytes and gill cells from zebrafish (Danio rerio)

In order to investigate the suitability of an in vitro version of the comet assay with primary hepatocytes and gill cells from zebrafish (Danio rerio), cells were isolated by immersion in trypsin/EDTA solution after whole-body perfusion with phosphate-buffered saline. Within the scope of an 18-month biomonitoring study, primary cells were used to identify the genotoxic potential of native water samples from different sites along the major German rivers, Rhine and Elbe, and to evaluate the sensitivity and practicability of the chosen assay. Depending on the endpoint measured, considerable differences were detected with respect to the number of genotoxic surface water samples: Whereas no differences could be recorded for tail moment and relative DNA contents of head and tail, the number of positively tested native surface water samples significantly increased with tail length as endpoint.

Soil mutagens are airborne mutagens: variation of mutagenic activities induced in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and TA 100 by organic extracts of agricultural and forest soils in dependence on location and season

As our hypothesis was that soil mutagens are airborne mutagens, possibly modified by soil microorganisms, we checked solvent extracts from agricultural and forest soils collected during late summer in the environment of Mainz, a region highly charged by anthropogenic air pollution, or near Bayreuth, a rural low charged region of Germany, or in a remote region of western Corsica without anthropogenic air pollution for the presence of mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium. Levels of mutagenic activities were quantified by calculation of revertants/g from the initial slope of dose-response curves applying tester strains S. typhimurium TA 98 and TA 100 in the absence and presence of an activation system from rat liver (S9). Three soils from Corsica did not induce mutagenicity under any test condition. However, most soils from Germany exhibited mutagenic activities, though preferentially in strain TA 98, but no statistically significant differences could be detected between 27 soils from the Mainz and nine soils from the Bayreuth regions. On the other hand, no correlation could be detected between the levels of mutagenic activities at any test condition and agricultural practice - rye growing, viniculture, fruit growing, meadow, and fallow - texture of soils - % composition of clay, slit, and sand - or the contents of organic matter. The only significant difference of mutagenicity was, however, found with S. typhimurium TA 98-S9 between forest soils of pH approximately 4.0 as compared with agricultural soils of pH approximately 7.0. The presence of antimutagens in soil as demonstrated by the course of dose-response curves of the three soils from Corsica may be another possible confounder. Calculation of mean values of mutagenic activities for all soils from Germany gave the following results: S. typhimurium TA 98: 69.7+/-153.2 (-S9); 63.0+/-176.3 (+S9); S. typhimurium TA 100:-144.7+/-399.4 (-S9); 43.3+/-172.0 (+S9) revertants/g of dry soil. In another series of experiments, soil mutagenicity in 10 rye fields near Mainz was monitored for 1 year. It became evident that low levels of mutagenic activities in late summer increased during autumn, reached a peak in late winter, and subsequently, decreased during spring and summer. These results agree with the hypothesis of an airborne origin of soil mutagens, deposition, and an adjacent transformation to non-mutagenic compounds by soil microorganisms.

Acute toxicity and genotoxicity of aquatic hydrophobic pollutants sampled with semipermeable membrane devices

Triolein-filled semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were deployed for 4 weeks in polluted water sources in Lithuania. The mixtures of pollutants sampled by the SPMDs were fractionated by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). The fraction containing average molecular weight compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides was screened by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The whole (non-fractionated) samples and their SEC fractions were tested in bioassays including Microtox, Mutatox, Daphnia pulex immobilization assay and the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in human lymphocytes in vitro test. The Microtox test was most sensitive with the estimated EC(50) values in the range of milligrams or even micrograms per milliliter based on the amount of the SPMD triolein. Part of the observed toxicity was caused by elemental sulfur co-sampled by the SPMDs from sediments. The sum of toxicity equivalents of the SEC fractions was smaller than the relative toxicity of the whole samples indicating the presence of synergistic interactions in the complex mixtures of chemical pollutants. The toxic or genotoxic response induced by the chemical mixtures and their fractions was smaller in the D. pulex, Mutatox and SCE tests. In Mutatox, a positive response was only detected without the S9 metabolic activation which indicates the presence of mainly direct-acting mutagens in the samples. Interpretation of the Mutatox data was difficult due to the complexity of dose-response and time-response relationships. The study has demonstrated the potential as well as some limitations of SPMDs in the monitoring of biological effects of bioavailable organic pollutants in the aquatic environment.

Genotoxic potential of marine sediments from the North Sea

The alkaline comet assay is a method for detecting DNA strand breaks and alkali labile sites in individual cells. An in vitro system was used to investigate the genotoxic potential of complex mixtures such as organic extracts of marine sediments. DNA damage was induced in leukocytes isolated from carp (Cyprius carpio) by exposure to organic sediment extracts from the North Sea or hydrogen peroxide as positive control, respectively. The minimum concentration for significant effects ranged from 1 to 40 mg sediment dry weight per milliliter assay volume. The sensitivity of the method was enhanced by using the DNA repair inhibitor, 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara C). From the results, it can be suggested that total organic carbon (TOC) as well as the different compositions of contaminants present in the sediment extracts may contribute to the genotoxic effects observed. The comet assay can be applied successfully as an in vitro bioassay for investigations on genotoxicity of marine sediment extracts.

Evaluation of the SOS/umu-test post-treatment assay for the detection of genotoxic activities of pure compounds and complex environmental mixtures

This study presents an evaluation of the SOS/umu-test after introducing an additional dilution and incubation in the post-treatment assay. This treatment reduces the influence of coloured test compounds that otherwise affect the colorimetric determination of the beta-galactosidase activity and the bacterial growth measurement during the testing of complex environmental samples. The post-treatment assay significantly increased the beta-galactosidase activity and consequently the enzyme induction ratios at higher doses of model genotoxins 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, 2-aminoanthracene, benzo(a)pyrene with low or no effect on the sensitivity of the test itself. On the other hand tests of environmental extracts indicated significant increases in sensitivity after additional incubation. 4-Nitroquinoline-N-oxide treatments of bacteria in the test affected cell division and caused filamentous growth. The size of filamentous bacteria and incidence rate of the length categories was positively correlated with the concentrations of genotoxins. Presence of filamentous tester bacteria proved induction of SOS response and genotoxic activity of environment samples in SOS/umu-test.