Bivalves as Biomonitors of Genotoxicity: A Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56919/usci.2541.016Keywords:
Biomonitoring, Genotoxicity, Bivalves, PollutionAbstract
Study’s Excerpt:
• The review examined bivalves as bio-monitors using genotoxic endpoints.
• Complex aquatic wastes make environmental assessment harder through analyses.
• Genetic bioassays help assess aquatic waste toxicity, especially with analytic methods.
• Comet assay lacks specificity, making mitigation measures difficult.
Full Abstract:
Bivalves, particularly mussels, are already known to be valuable bio-monitors of aquatic ecosystem health. Their ecological and biological characteristics make them ideal sentinels of genotoxic pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. Direct chemical analyses of polluted samples are reported to be limited by sensitivity and cannot predict the toxicity of complex waste mixtures. However, studies exploring the use of genetic assays with other relevant organisms for monitoring the effects of these pollutants are limited. Therefore, biomonitoring can quantify specific pollutants in contaminated sites and their chronic effects on the aquatic ecosystem. This review essay provides a synthesis of the current state of knowledge on the use of bivalves as bio-monitors using genotoxic endpoints, such as DNA damage and micronuclei formation, and explores relationships between such biomarkers and exposure to pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, and industrial effluents. While some limitations exist, mussels hold significant potential for ecotoxicology research, especially when combined with analytical techniques like biochemical, histological, and physiological biomarkers. Additionally, it's crucial to consider the impact of natural environmental factors on the studied parameters when analysing the results.
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