CYTOGENETIC, DEVELOPMENTAL, AND BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF ALUMINUM, IRON, AND THEIR MIXTURE IN SEA-URCHINS AND MUSSELS

Citation
G. Pagano et al., CYTOGENETIC, DEVELOPMENTAL, AND BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF ALUMINUM, IRON, AND THEIR MIXTURE IN SEA-URCHINS AND MUSSELS, Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology, 31(4), 1996, pp. 466-474
Citations number
38
Categorie Soggetti
Toxicology,"Environmental Sciences
ISSN journal
00904341
Volume
31
Issue
4
Year of publication
1996
Pages
466 - 474
Database
ISI
SICI code
0090-4341(1996)31:4<466:CDABEO>2.0.ZU;2-A
Abstract
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the toxicity of aluminum sulfate, ferric chloride and their 1:1 mixture (Mix) on early developm ent, fertilization and offspring quality in three sea urchins species (Sphaerechinus granularis, Paracentrotus lividus, Psammechinus microtu berculatus) and in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis). The endpoints were the following: a) larval malformations; b) developmental arrest; cf embryonic mortality; d) fertilization success; e) cytogenetic effec ts, and f) luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (LDCL). Overall data po int to the induction of developmental defects in both sea urchin and m ussel embryos following exposure of embryos to Al(III) or Fe(III) (10( -7) to 10(-6) M), whereas Mix caused varied effects vs. Al(III) or Fe( III) alone, from scarce or no additive effects (M. galloprovincialis a nd P. lividus) to a dramatic rise in embryolethality even at nominal l evels of 10(-8) M (Ps. microtuberculus). S. granularis sperm underwent a dose-dependent decrease in fertilization success following exposure to Al(III), or Fe(III), or Mix at levels ranging from 10(-8) to 10(-5 ) M. A significant increase of developmental defects was observed in t he offspring of S. granularis sperm exposed to micromolar levels of th e agents, suggesting an Al(III)- and Fe(III)-related transmissible dam age to sperm. The cytogenetic analysis of Al(III)-, Fe(III)-, or Mix-e xposed S. granularis embryos showed a significant increase in mitotic aberrations. A relevant feature of the observed cytogenetic damage inc luded scattered chromosomes, suggesting cytoskeleton damage. The LDCL emission in S. granularis embryos showed a dose-related inhibition by agent levels ranging from 10(-1) to 10(-5) M; this held true for both spontaneous and, to a larger extent, for horseradish peroxidase (HRP)- activated LDCL. LDCL associated with fertilization was affected by Al( III), Fe(III) and Mix, with a time- and dose-related shift from stimul ation to inhibition. The changes observed in LDCL emission suggested t hat the observed damage to embryogenesis, fertilization and mitotic ac tivity may be related, at least partly, to alterations of the embryo p rooxidant state. The present data point to developmental, cytogenetic and biochemical changes related to realistic levels of AI(III), Fe(III ) and their mixtures, raising concern as to their environmental, occup ational and iatrogenic exposures.