Bio-techniques for the detection of genetic toxicity in the aquatic environment

This article reviews the application of sensitive biotechniques in the detection of DNA damage within the aquatic environment as "early warning" indicators of pollution-related genetic toxicity. Bacterial mutagenicity assays have played an important role both in the discovery of mutagens and in the analysis of the ability of aquatic organisms to convert inert substances to reactive genotoxic products. Genetic damage in aquatic species treated with carcinogens has been detected by analysis of DNA adducts, induction of DNA repair, DNA strand breakage and formation of chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges. Little information is available on pollution-related DNA damage resulting from field exposure. A 32P-postlabelling technique for the sensitive detection of DNA adducts is a promising development towards this aim and the analysis of changes in oncogene nucleotide sequence in tumour tissue is considered an important future direction.