Comparison of two freshwater turtle species as monitors of radionuclide and chemical contamination: DNA damage and residue analysis
- Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Two species of turtles that occupy different ecological niches were compared for their usefulness as monitors of freshwater ecosystems where both low-level radioactive and nonradioactive contaminants are present. The pond slider (Trachemys scripta) and common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) were analyzed for the presence of [sup 90]Sr, [sup 137]Cs, [sup 60]Co, and Hg, radionuclides and chemicals known to be present at the contaminated site, and single-strand breaks in liver DNA. The integrity of the DNA was examined by the alkaline unwinding assay, a technique that detects strand breaks as a biological marker of possible exposure to genotoxic agents. This measure of DNA damage was significantly increased in both species of turtles at the contaminated site compared with turtles of the same species at a reference site, and shows that contaminant-exposed populations were under more severe genotoxic stress than those at the reference site. The level of strand breaks observed at the contaminated site was high and in the range reported for other aquatic species exposed to deleterious concentrations of genotoxic agents such as chemicals and ionizing radiation. Statistically significantly higher concentrations of radionuclides and Hg were detected in the turtles from the contaminated area. Mercury concentrations were significantly higher in the more carnivorous snapping turtle compared with the slider; however, both species were effective monitors of the contaminants.
- OSTI ID:
- 7163125
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 12:8; ISSN 0730-7268
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CESIUM 137
GENETIC EFFECTS
COBALT 60
MERCURY
STRONTIUM 90
TURTLES
SENSITIVITY
WATER POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
GENETIC VARIABILITY
STRAND BREAKS
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
CESIUM ISOTOPES
COBALT ISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
METALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
POLLUTION
RADIOISOTOPES
REPTILES
STRONTIUM ISOTOPES
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOT
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540330 - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
560162 - Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells