The genotoxicity of particulate and soluble chromate in sperm whale (physeter macrocephalus) skin fibroblasts

Abstract Hexavalent chromium is a marine pollutant of concern, both for the health of ocean ecosystems and for public health. Hexavalent chromium is known to induce genotoxicity in human and other terrestrial mammals. It is also known to be present in both water and air in the marine environment. Ho...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis
Main Authors: Wise, John Pierce, Wise, Sandra S., LaCerte, Carolyne, Aboueissa, AbouEl‐Makarim
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/em.20579
https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fem.20579
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/em.20579
Description
Summary:Abstract Hexavalent chromium is a marine pollutant of concern, both for the health of ocean ecosystems and for public health. Hexavalent chromium is known to induce genotoxicity in human and other terrestrial mammals. It is also known to be present in both water and air in the marine environment. However, currently there are limited data concerning both chromium levels and its toxicological effects in marine mammals. This study investigated the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of soluble and particulate hexavalent chromium in sperm whale skin fibroblasts. Both forms of hexavalent chromium induced concentration‐dependent increases in cytotoxicity and genotoxicity indicating that these compounds can be a health risk if the whales are exposed to them. These data support a hypothesis that chromium is a concern in the marine environment in general and for the health of sperm whales in particular. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 52:43–49, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.