The Comet Assay for the evaluation of the genetic hazard of pollutants on cetaceans. Preliminary results on the genotoxic effect of methylmercury on the bottle nosed dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)

In this study the single cell microgel electrophoresis (Comet assay) was used to evaluate the genetic effects of methylmercury in dolphin (Tursiops truncatns) lymphocytes in the dose range 1-8 mu g ml(-1). The results of in vitro exposure showed that methyl-Hg induces DNA single-strand breaks and cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. Dolphin lymphocytes have greater resistance to the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of methyl-Hg than human and rat cells. The ecological significance of these results are discussed