Biological activity resulting from exposure to aquatic environmental genotoxic pollutants in northern Egypt

We estimated pollution in Lake Edku and the Mediterranean Sea, El-Maadiya Region, with 3 aromatic amines [1-naphthylamine, 2-naphthylamine and benzidine] in the muscle tissue of fish. There were marked seasonal variations in the aromatic amine levels. We also determined oxidative stress [blood glutathione, and catalase activity] and genotoxic effects [chromosomal aberrations and urinary metabolites] in fishermen from each area. The fishermen suffered from oxidative stress and had high levels of the urinary metabolite sulfanilamide [mean [microg/mg creatinine]: Lake Edku 20.7, Mediterranean 14.5, controls 5.3]. Frequencies for total chromosomal aberrations were significantly raised in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of fishermen in both areas [frequency [per 100 metaphases]: Mediterranean 67, Lake Edku 45, controls 14]