Assessment of micronuclei induction in peripheral blood and gill cells of some fish species from Aliaga Bay Turkey.

The aim of this paper was to assess the biological damages in fish caused by various mutagenic agents present in polluted waters of Aliaga Bay. For this purpose, micronuclei (MN) test was performed using peripheral erythrocytes and gill cells of different fish specimens caught from both polluted and relatively clean sites from Aliaga Bay (Turkey). Micronuclei tests is a system of mutagenicity testing used for determining changes in DNA fragments such as micronuclei in the cytoplasm of interphase cells caused by the pollution and chemicals in the environment. Thus, it was attempted to determine whether pollution affected the erythrocytes and gills of fish living in Aliaga Bay at the level of DNA by the means of micronuclei (MN) test. According to the results of present study, frequency of MN was found at high level in polluted site. In conclusion, this study indicates that the micronuclei test gives sensitive results in monitoring the pollution, especially the pollution of harbor, and thus it might be used as standard method in regularly monitoring pollution of coastal ecosystem.

Detecting micronuclei frequency in some aquatic organisms for monitoring pollution of Izmir Bay (Western Turkey).

Micronuclei tests is a system of mutagenicity testing used for determining the pollution and chemicals causing changes in DNA fragments such as micronuclei in the cytoplasm of interphase cells. Damage caused on the DNA by genotoxic pollutants is the first consequence occurring in the aquatic organisms. Thus, it was attempted to determine whether pollution affected the erythrocytes and gills of fish Gobius niger and haemolymph and gills of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis living in Izmir Bay at the level of DNA by the means of micronuclei (MN) test. Organisms used in the MN test were collected from seven locations (Alsancak, Alaybey Shipyard, Karsiyaka, Bostanli, Göztepe, Konak and Pasaport) which are known as the most polluted part of inner Bay of Izmir (Western Coast of Turkey). According to the results of the present study, frequency of MN was found at high level in Alaybey Shipyard and Pasaport where wastes from existing dockyard contributed to high level of pollution. In conclusion, this study indicates that the micronuclei test gives sensitive results in monitoring the pollution, especially the pollution of harbor, and thus it might be used as standard method in regular monitoring of pollution of coastal ecosystem.

An assessment of sediment quality at the streams flowing into Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea, Turkey.

Due to municipal, industrial and nonpoint source waste discharges to streams and rivers and tendency of many chemicals to become associated with sediments. Sediments are particularly problematic near densely populated and industrialised urban areas, such as the Izmir metropolitan area in west part of Turkey. The aim of this study was to determine the potential adverse effects of sediments from five streams flowing into inner part of Izmir Bay by using sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus embryotoxicity test and if there was any correlation between toxicity and chemical data. Toxicity tests indicated that with the exception of the smallest concentration of only one stream sediment samples (0.6 mg wet wt. mL(-1)) all sediment samples resulted in significant increases in the frequencies of developmental defects on P. lividus embryos. Analytical data showed that the sediments from five streams had chemical characteristics similar to sediments defined by other authors as polluted sediments. An important point to note was the excellent correlation between total organic carbon content of stream sediments and sea urchin P. lividus embryotoxicity data, but not with metal content.