Evaluation of the sensitivity of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity endpoints in earthworms exposed in situ to uranium mining wastes

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Joana Lourenço (Author) Other; Ruth Pereira (Author) FCUP; Ana Silva (Author) Other; Fernando Carvalho (Author) Other; João Oliveira (Author) Other; Margarida Malta (Author) Other; Artur Paiva (Author) Other; Fernando Gonçalves (Author) Other; Sónia Mendo (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

Vol. 75

Pages: 46-54

ISSN: 0147-6513

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 34 Citations

Scopus - 36 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-HJ8

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2011.08.024

Abstract (EN): Earthworms were exposed for 56 days to a contaminated soil from an abandoned uranium mine and to the natural reference soil LUFA 2.2. The exposure occurred in situ: the containers with contaminated soil were placed near the mine pit; the containers with reference soil were placed in a reference site. For the assessment of metals bioaccumulation, DNA damages, cell-to-cell variation in DNA content, Median Fluorescence Intensity (MFI), coelomocytes frequency and proliferation, organisms were sampled after 0, 1, 2, 7, 14 and 56 days of exposure. For the assessment of radionuclides bioaccumulation, animals were sampled after 0, 14 and 56 days of exposure. As for growth, organisms were sampled after 0, 14, 28 and 56 days of exposure. The reproduction assay was performed according to the OECD (2004) guideline. DNA damages were assessed by comet assay and flow cytometry was used to determine cell-to-cell variation in DNA content, Median Fluorescence Intensity (MFI), coelomocytes frequency and proliferation. Results have shown a myriad of effects in the organisms exposed to the contaminated soil, namely: the inhibition of reproduction, growth reduction, DNA damages, cytotoxicity, changes in eleocytes fluorescence intensity, coelomocytes proliferation and bioaccumulation of metals and radionuclides. Our results showed that the evaluation of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity endpoints, along with other parameters at an individual level in standard reproduction assays conducted in situ, are important to improve the risk assessment process of areas contaminated with uranium and other radioactive mining wastes.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9