PARENT SESSION
SP5 - DNA Damage in Aquatic Animals.
Chair: Lee, Richard¹, ¹ 10 Ocean Science Circle, Savannah, GA, USA
Co-chair: Steinert, Scott², ² 4045 Hancock Street, San Diego, CA
2:10 PM to 5:30 PM - Sunday, 17 November 2002
Room Ballroom D

(127) DNA damage in mussels and sea urchins exposed to crude oil.

Bechmann, Renee^*,1, Torgrimsen, Sigfryd¹, Aas, Endre¹, Sundt, Rolf¹, Sanni, Steinar², ¹ Rogaland Research, Stavanger, Norway² Akvamiljų as, Randaberg, Norway

ABSTRACT- Mussels (Mytilus edulis) and sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) were exposed to 1 ppm dispersed crude oil in a continuous flow system. Analyses of DNA damage (strand breaks) were done using the Comet assay. Haemolymphe and sperm from mussels, and coelomocytes and sperm from sea urchins were analysed after two weeks of oil exposure. There was a significantly higher percentage of DNA in the comet tail of cells (haemolymphe, coelomocytes and sperm) from both exposed species compared to the control. The mussels and sea urchins were transferred to clean sea water after two weeks of oil exposure. Coelomocytes from sea urchins were analysed after 3 weeks of depuration, and haemolymphe from mussels after 4 weeks of depuration. The percentage of DNA in the comet tail of cells (coelomocytes and heamolymphe) from animals sampled after a period of depuration was still significantly higher than for control cells, but the difference was reduced compared to samples taken immediately after the oil exposure. These results indicate that the Comet assay can be used for biomonitoring of DNA damage in marine invertebrates following oil contamination.

Key words: DNA damage, crude oil, Mytilus edulis, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis