Micronucleus test on Triturus carnifex as a tool for environmental biomonitoring

Area of Science:

• Environmental toxicology
• Amphibian ecotoxicology
• Genotoxicity testing

Background:

• The amphibian micronucleus test is a valuable tool for assessing chemical genotoxicity and ecotoxicological monitoring.
• Previous studies primarily utilized peripheral blood from amphibian larvae and adults.
• Standardized protocols for new tissues in amphibian genotoxicity testing are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate protocols for micronucleus detection in adult shed skin and larval gill cells of the Italian crested newt (Triturus carnifex).
• To compare genotoxicity levels in newts from areas with differing radon concentrations.
• To evaluate the sensitivity of shed skin and gill cells for ecogenotoxicological monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Collection of adult and larval Italian crested newts from protected areas with high and low radon content.
• Development of protocols for micronucleus analysis in peripheral blood, adult shed skin, and larval gill cells.
• Statistical analysis to compare micronucleus frequencies between sites and tissue types.

Main Results:

• Micronucleus frequencies were significantly higher in newts from the radon-rich site compared to the radon-free site.
• Larval gill cells exhibited statistically significant higher sensitivity to genotoxic effects (P < 0.00001) than adult tissues.
• The shed skin assay provides a non-invasive method for genotoxicity assessment.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully adapted the micronucleus test for adult shed skin and larval gill cells in Triturus carnifex.
• Larval gill cells are more sensitive indicators of genotoxicity than adult tissues.
• These refined methods offer a practical and potentially non-invasive approach for in situ ecogenotoxicological monitoring of aquatic environments.