This study explored the comet assay as a possible tool to assess genotoxicity in erythrocytes of Columba livia to detect genotoxic effects induced by exposure to urban air pollution. Fieldwork was conducted between June 2004 and June 2005 in the city of Milan, Italy, by sampling pigeons in different areas almost twice a week. Six air contaminants—CO, PM10, NO2, O3 (ozone), SO2, and C6H6—plus polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fine particles, temperature, and ultraviolet index, were considered. Genotoxicity levels, expressed as %DNA migrated, tail moment, and damage index (DI), were always higher in wild pigeons than in pigeons living indoors (controls). Animals exposed to urban air showedsignificant differences from season to season, and thegenotoxic parameters presented the highest values in summer (45.30% ± 1.40% %DNA migrated, 12.73 ± 0.80 tail moment, and 22.30 ± 0.15 9 DI 9 10-1); regression analyses showed a positive relation between DI and O3 concentrations (P\0.001). The use of the comet assay DI parameter as a rapid assessment of incipient genotoxic risk by pollution, as measured in C. livia living in urban areas, is also discussed.

Sicolo, M., Tringali, M., Fumagalli, P., Santagostino, A. (2010). Columba livia as a sentinel specie for assessment of urban air genotoxicity. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY, 59(3), 484-491 [10.1007/s00244-010-9488-3].

Columba livia as a sentinel specie for assessment of urban air genotoxicity

SICOLO, MATTEO PAOLO ANDREA;TRINGALI, MARIA;FUMAGALLI, PIETRO;SANTAGOSTINO, ANGELA
2010

Abstract

This study explored the comet assay as a possible tool to assess genotoxicity in erythrocytes of Columba livia to detect genotoxic effects induced by exposure to urban air pollution. Fieldwork was conducted between June 2004 and June 2005 in the city of Milan, Italy, by sampling pigeons in different areas almost twice a week. Six air contaminants—CO, PM10, NO2, O3 (ozone), SO2, and C6H6—plus polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fine particles, temperature, and ultraviolet index, were considered. Genotoxicity levels, expressed as %DNA migrated, tail moment, and damage index (DI), were always higher in wild pigeons than in pigeons living indoors (controls). Animals exposed to urban air showedsignificant differences from season to season, and thegenotoxic parameters presented the highest values in summer (45.30% ± 1.40% %DNA migrated, 12.73 ± 0.80 tail moment, and 22.30 ± 0.15 9 DI 9 10-1); regression analyses showed a positive relation between DI and O3 concentrations (P\0.001). The use of the comet assay DI parameter as a rapid assessment of incipient genotoxic risk by pollution, as measured in C. livia living in urban areas, is also discussed.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Genotoxicity, urban air pollution, Columba livia
English
2010
59
3
484
491
none
Sicolo, M., Tringali, M., Fumagalli, P., Santagostino, A. (2010). Columba livia as a sentinel specie for assessment of urban air genotoxicity. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY, 59(3), 484-491 [10.1007/s00244-010-9488-3].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/17371
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