Janina Baršienė

Environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in the offshore zones of the Baltic and the North Seas

Micronuclei (MN), nuclear buds (NB) and fragmented-apoptotic cells (FA) were analyzed in mature peripheral blood and immature cephalic kidney erythrocytes of flounder (Platichthys flesus), dab (Limanda limanda) and cod (Gadus morhua) from 12 offshore sites in the Baltic Sea (479 specimens) and 11 sites in the North Sea (291 specimens), which were collected during three research vessel cruises in December 2002, 2003 and in September 2004. The highest levels of environmental genotoxicity (frequencies of MN up to 0.5 per thousand, NB - up to 0.75 per thousand) and cytotoxicity (FA - up to 0.53 per thousand) were observed in flatfishes from areas close to oil and gas platforms in the North Sea and in zones related to the extensive shipping and potentially influenced by contamination from large European Rivers (Elbe, Vistula, Oder). In dab from the offshore zones of the North Sea, the levels of nuclear abnormalities were higher as compared to those in dab from the Baltic Sea. Responses in immature kidney erythrocytes were higher than in mature erythrocytes from peripheral blood. MN frequency lower than 0.05 per thousand (the Baltic Sea) and lower than 0.1 per thousand (the North Sea) could be suspected as a reference level in the peripheral blood erythrocytes of flatfish.

PAH body burden and biomarker responses in mussels (Mytilus edulis) exposed to produced water from a North Sea oil field: laboratory and field assessments.

In order to study the impact of produced water (PW) from a North Sea oil field on blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), chemical and biological markers were selected. A laboratory exposure (0.125%, 0.25% and 0.5% of PW) and a field study (6 stations 0.2-2 km from a PW discharge point) were conducted. In the laboratory study, PAH bioaccumulation increased in mussel soft tissue even at the lowest exposure dose. Micronuclei frequency demonstrated a dose-response pattern, whereas lysosomal membrane stability showed tendency towards a dose-response pattern. The same markers were assessed in the field study, biomarker analyses were consistent with the contamination level, as evaluated by mussel polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons body burden. Overall, obtained results confirmed the value of an ecotoxicological approach for a scientifically sound characterisation of biological effects induced by offshore oilfield operational discharges.

Biomarker responses in flounder Platichthys flesus from the Polish coastal area of the Baltic Sea and applications in biomonitoring

The objective of this study was to investigate the pattern of enzymatic activities, environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in flounder, Platichthys flesus, from the Polish coastal area of the Baltic Sea. Fish were sampled in different contaminated sites in the Gulf of Gdansk and in a reference area outside the gulf. The activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione s-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), were studied, as well as the frequency of micronuclei, nuclear buds and fragmented-apoptotic cells. A higher mean activity level of muscular AChE and a lower activity level of hepatic GST were evident in samples taken from the reference site, relative to those found in the gulf. Modeled CAT activity (in both liver and gill tissue), blood plasma LDH and CK activities were all significantly higher in flounder collected at locations within the Gulf of Gdansk than at the reference site. No statistically significant alterations were observed in the activities of ALT and AST in the blood plasma of flounder in this study. Fish collected from a location at the mouth of the Vistula River showed the highest hepatic GST and CAT, the highest gill CAT activity, and the highest frequency of blood micronuclei, nuclear buds and fragmented-apoptotic cell inductions, as well as the lowest level of blood plasma CK. The present study confirms that compared to fish from the reference area, flounder from the Gulf of Gdansk clearly demonstrate a different enzyme activity, genotoxicity and cytotoxicity biomarker response pattern.

Risk of environmental genotoxicity in the Baltic Sea over the period of 2009-2011 assessed by micronuclei frequencies in blood erythrocytes of flounder (Platichthys flesus), herring (Clupea harengus) and eelpout (Zoarces viviparus).

Environmental genotoxicity was investigated at 82 locations encompassing different regions of the Baltic Sea. Micronuclei (MN) analysis was performed in erythrocytes of 1892 specimens of flounder Platichthys flesus, herring Clupea harengus and eelpout Zoarces viviparus, three of the most common native fish species of the Baltic Sea collected in 2009-2011. MN background levels in fish were determined using data obtained in 2001-2011 from 107 Baltic sites. Extremely high genotoxicity risk zones were found for flounder at 11 stations out of 16 in 2009 and 33 stations of 41 in 2010-2011, for herring, at 5 of 18 stations in 2009 and 20 of 43 stations in 2010-2011, in eelpout only at one out of 29 stations. The sampling stations were restricted mainly to the southern and eastern Baltic Sea offshore zones and in most of them, MN frequencies in flounder and herring significantly exceeded the reference and background levels of micronuclei. This is a first attempt to evaluate the background MN responses, as well as low, high and extremely high genotoxicity risk levels for native fish species.

Environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in flounder (Platichthys flesus), herring (Clupea harengus) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from chemical munitions dumping zones in the southern Baltic Sea

The data on environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity levels as well as on genotoxicity risk in flounder (Platichthys flesus), herring (Clupea harengus) and cod (Gadus morhua) collected in 2010-2012 at 42 stations located in chemical munitions dumping areas of the southern Baltic Sea are presented. The frequency of micronuclei, nuclear buds and nucleoplasmic bridges in erythrocytes was used as genotoxicity endpoint and the induction of fragmented-apoptotic, bi-nucleated and 8-shaped erythrocytes as cytotoxicity endpoint. The most significantly increased geno-cytotoxicity levels were determined in fish collected near known chemical munitions dumpsites. Extremely high genotoxicity risk for flounder were identified at 21 out of 24 stations, for herring at 29 out of 31 and for cod at 5 out of 10 stations studied. The reference level of genotoxicity was not recorded at any of the stations revealing that in the sampling area fish were affected generally.

Environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity levels in fish from the North Sea offshore region and Atlantic coastal waters.

In the framework of the ICON project, environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity levels were assessed in blood erythrocytes of dab (Limanda limanda) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) collected at 25 stations in the North Sea and near the coast of Iceland in August-October 2008. Micronuclei, nuclear buds and bi-nucleated cells with nucleoplasmic bridges were assessed as environmental genotoxicity biomarkers, and the frequency of fragmented-apoptotic and bi-nucleated erythrocytes were assessed as environmental cytotoxicity biomarkers. The lowest frequencies of genotoxic and cytotoxic abnormalities were detected in fish from the Icelandic study stations. The highest frequencies of abnormalities were recorded in dab from the Dogger Bank and the German Bight, in haddock from the Egersund Bank and from an area off the Firth of Forth (North Sea). In fish from the Icelandic reference area, frequencies of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity responses were significantly lower than in fish from most areas of the North Sea.

STUDIES OF MICRONUCLEI AND OTHER NUCLEAR ABNORMALITIES IN BLOOD OF RAINBOW TROUT (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS) TREATED WITH HEAVY METAL MIXTURE AND ROAD MAINTENANCE SALTS

The frequency of micronuclei (MN), nuclear buds and bi-nucleated erythrocytes was analysed in peripheral blood of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), treated with a heavy metal model mixture (HMMM) and with a mixture of road maintenance salts in doses of real metal and salt concentrations in soil near the main Lithuanian highway. The absolute concentration (100%) of the HMMM solution was Cu 0.874; Zn 0.93; Pb 4.7; Ni 0.66; Cr 0.33 and Mn 18 mg/l. Four groups of fish, each consisting of ten specimens, were exposed to 21.79%, 10.89%, 5.45% and to 1.1% mixtures of HMM for 14 days. Additionally, four groups of rainbow trout (10 specimens in each group) were exposed to the solution containing 4.56, 2.28, 1.14, and 0.1825 g/l of road maintenance salt for 14 days and fish in one aquarium were treated with common salt (4.56 g/l). The control group of rainbow trout was kept in an aquarium with artesian aerated water. A statistically significant increase in micronuclei was observed in the rainbow trout after expos...

Environmental Mutagenesis in different zones of the Baltic Sea

Environmental mutagenesis was assessed in fish from the selected coastal areas of the Baltic SeanKvadofjarden and the Stockholm archipelago (Sweden), the KlaipodanBstingo zone (Lithua- nia), the Gulf of Gdansk (Poland) and the Wismar Bay (Germany). The frequency of micronuclei, as markers of cytogenetic damage, was evaluated in erythrocytes of 911 flounder (Platichthys flesus), 332 perch (Perca fluviatilis) and 458 eelpout (Zoarces viviparus) specimens. Fish was collected du- ring bi-annual sampling campaigns performed in 2001 and 2002. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.0001) regarding season and sampling location were recorded. The highest values of cytogenetic damage were registered in flounder from the Lithuanian coast near Palanga (autumn 2001) and from the Wismar Bay (spring 2001), in perch from the Lithuanian coast near Nemirseta (autumn 2001) and in eelpout from the Wismar Bay (autumn 2001). These values are 5n10-fold higher than the baseline level of micronucleus incidence. In general, the decrease in environmental mutagenesis was observed in 2002. Nevertheless a significant increase in micronucleus levels was determined in fish after the oil spill in the Bstingo oil terminal.

Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects in the bivalve mollusks Macoma balthica and Mytilus edulis from the Baltic Sea@@@Genotoksinio ir citotoksinio poveikio įvertinimas Baltijos jūros dvigeldžių moliuskų Macoma balthica ir Mytilus edulis ląstelėse

Micronuclei (MN), nuclear buds (NB), fragmented-apoptotic (FA) and bi-nucleated (BN) cells were analysed in gills of bivalve mollusks Macoma balthica and Mytilus edulis collected from fi ve study locations in Lithuanian territorial waters of the Baltic Sea. Th e frequency of micronuclei varied from 1.28 to 3.63‰ (MN/1000 cells), of nuclear buds – from 0.50 to 1.49‰, fragmented-apoptotic cells from 0.53 to 1.72‰ and of bi-nucleated cells from 1.51 to 2.23‰. Th e highest level of MN and bi-nucleated cells was determined in mollusks from the off shore Station 65, nuclear buds and fragmented-apoptotic cells from Station 1B located close to the Būtingė oil terminal. A comparatively high frequency of MN was observed in bivalves from the Būtingė oil terminal area – 3.38‰ in Station 1B, 2.85‰ in Station B06 in June and in mollusks from Station N-4 (2.66‰) located nearby the oil platform D-6.

Induction of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities in blue mussels Mytilus edulis after 1-, 2-, 4- and 8-day treatment with crude oil from the North Sea@@@Branduolio pažaidų susiformavimas midijų Mytilus edulis žiaunų ląstelėse po 1, 2, 4 ir 8 parų poveikio Šiaurės jūroje išgaunama žaliavine nafta

), exposed to 0.5 ppm concentration of the dispersed oil for 1, 2, 4 and 8 days. Induction of micronuclei (MN) and nuclear buds (NB) was assessed as the crude oil genotoxicity endpoints; induction of fragmented-apoptotic (FA) and bi-nucleated (B N) cells indicated the cytotoxicity potential of the oil. Time-related MN elevation incidences were detected in all experimental groups compared to the control group of mussels. Th e elevation of micronuclei increased progres-sively with increasing the duration of exposure – from 1.9-fold aft er 1 day to 2.4-fold aft er 8 days of exposure. Th ere was no signifi cant occurrence of nuclear buds in the experimen-tal groups. A signifi cant induction of fragmented-apoptotic cells (P = 0.0115) was detected in