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Citation
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HERO ID
518689
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Genotoxicity in wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) along a pollution gradient: exposure-, age-, and gender-related effects
Author(s)
Scheirs, J; De Coen, A; Covaci, A; Beernaert, J; Kayawe, VM; Caturla, M; De Wolf, H; Baert, P; Van Oostveldt, P; Verhagen, R; Blust, R; De Coen, W
Year
2006
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
ISSN:
0730-7268
EISSN:
1552-8618
Volume
25
Issue
8
Page Numbers
2154-2162
Language
English
PMID
16916035
DOI
10.1897/05-419R.1
Web of Science Id
WOS:000240505000023
Abstract
We investigated the effects of environmental pollution on genetic damage in wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) by means of the comet assay, with special attention to the role of age and gender as potential confounding variables. The present study was carried out at four sites along a pollution gradient in the vicinity of Antwerp (Belgium), with a nonferrous smelter as the main pollution source. We measured the concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) in mouse liver and kidney and the concentration of organochlorine compounds (polychlorinated biphenyls and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene) in mouse muscle tissue to assess individual exposure. Cadmium exposure was very high at the sites closest to the smelter, and exposure to this metal decreased with increasing distance from the smelter. Exposure to the other pollutants was low to moderate at the different sites. Genetic damage was higher in mice from populations in the vicinity of the nonferrous smelter compared with that in the control populations. A significant increase in genetic damage with age was observed at the most polluted sites, but not at the control sites. Genetic damage was higher in male mice than in female mice at the most polluted site, but not at the other areas. Yet, no obvious relationship was found between individual pollutant levels and individual genetic damage levels. We conclude that the comet assay can be used to compare genotoxicity at the population level if the confounding variables of gender and age are taken into account. However, its use for individual health risk assessment remains questionable.
Keywords
DNA damage; comet assay; heavy metals; organochlorine compounds; Apodemus sylvaticus; heavy-metal pollution; mussel mytilus-edulis; alkaline comet assay; dna; strand breaks; tits parus-major; polychlorinated-biphenyls; small; mammals; human-lymphocytes; micronucleus test; damage
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