Organic pollution and genotoxicity of sediments of the Palun marshes (Berre lagoon, France).

The impact of industrial, rural, and urban activities on two runnels (B1, B2, and B3 from Beausset runnel and V1 and V2 from Vallat du Ceinturon runnel) located in the Palun marshes (Berre lagoon, France) was evaluated by analyzing 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), 1-aminopyrene (1-AP), and six pesticides in sediment samples. The mutagenicity was assessed with the Salmonella mutagenicity test using tester strains TA98+S9 Mix and YG1041 +/- S9 Mix. The clastogenicity was evaluated with the micronucleus assay on Chinese Ovarian cells +/- S9 Mix. A gradient of PAHs concentrations was observed from B1 (3359 microg kg(-1) dry weight [dw]), close to industrial zones, to V2 (497 microg kg(-1) dw), away from the source of pollution. Similar gradient was noted for 1-AP (from B1: 11.8 microg kg(-1) dw to V2: 0.6 microg kg(-1) dw). However, this trend was not observed in 1-NP concentrations (concentrations ranged from 1.2 microg kg(-1) dw [V1] to 0.4 microg kg(-1) dw [B1]). Pesticides were detected in all samples. Diazinon and dieldrin were found in high concentrations in B1 extracts (74.5 and 39.9 microg.kg(-1) dw, respectively). All the sediments except V2 were mutagenic with strain TA98+S9 Mix. The mutagenicity was linked to the presence of PAHs (V1), nitroarenes (B1 and B3) and aromatic amines (B2). All sediments were clastogenic with and without S9 Mix except V1 extract, which was negative without S9 Mix. Overall, the two runnels in the Palun marshes were found to be polluted by many organic compounds that originate from direct human activities and pose a significant genotoxic risk.

Evaluation of the genotoxicity of river sediments from industrialized and unaffected areas using a battery of short-term bioassays.

The present investigation evaluated the capacity of the Salmonella mutagenicity test, the comet assay, and the micronucleus assay to detect and characterize the genotoxic profile of river sediments. Three stations were selected on an urban river (Bouches du Rhône, France) exposed to various sources of industrial and urban pollution (StA, StB, and StC) and one station on its tributary (StD). One station in a nonurban river was included (REF). The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined by HPLC, and the genotoxicity of the sediments was monitored by the Salmonella mutagenicity test (TA98 + S9, YG1041 +/- S9), the comet assay, and the micronucleus assay on CHO cells. Chemical analysis showed that the total PAH concentrations ranged from 23 microg kg(-1) dw (REF) to 1285 microg kg(-1) dw (StD). All the sediments were mutagenic in the Salmonella mutagenicity test. The mutagenicity was probably induced by the presence of nitroarenes (StA, StB, StC, and StD) and aromatic amines (REF) as deduced from the mutagenicity profiles of strains YG1041 +/- S9 and TA98 + S9. The comet assay revealed direct DNA lesions in REF, StA, and StB sediments and metabolization-dependent DNA damage in StC and StD. The micronucleus assay showed an absence of clastogenicity for StA +/- S9 and StC-S9, and a significant clastogenicity +/- S9 for the three other stations. The genotoxicity ranking determined by the comet assay + S9 matched the ranking of total and carcinogenic PAH concentrations, and this assay was found to be the most sensitive.

Accumulation and distribution of organochlorines (PCBs and DDTs) in various organs of Stenella coeruleoalba and a Tursiops truncatus from Mediterranean littoral environment (France).

The objective of the present study is to determine the levels of contamination by PCBs, DDT and its metabolites in dolphins failed on the coasts of the Mediterranean sea. Samples are represented by six Stenella coeruleoalba and a Tursiops truncatus collected in 2000 and 2003. The studies are achieved on the blubber, the heart, the liver, the kidney, the muscle and the lung. The concentrations of PCBs and DDT are very high in all tissues and organs analyzed. For the PCBs, the concentrations vary between 43,838 and 110,343 microg/kg lipid basis in the blubber, 601 and 39444 microg/kg dried weight in the liver, 1375 and 34512 microg/kg dried weight in the muscle, 3151 and 17082 microg/kg dried weight in the heart, 674 and 12365 microg/kg dried weight in the kidney and finally between 648 and 4118 microg/kg dried weight in the lung. These values are comparable to those previously obtained in our laboratory and by other authors during the years 1990 on the Mediterranean environment. Significant differences in concentrations are noted in tissues and organs, neither according to the age, nor according to the gender. In all the analyzed samples, the contents in PCBs are higher than those of DDT. The average ratios of pp'-DDE/SigmaDDT are close to 0.6 which shows the metabolization of these compounds along the years. The examination of the profiles of congeners shows that the hexachlorinated molecules are dominating in all tissues and organs which supposes the different animals were especially exposed to Pyralen-type compounds of transformer (Dp6).