ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Genotoxic Changes in Herring from
the Southern Baltic Sea
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Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, National Research Institute, Gdynia, Poland
Submission date: 2018-10-18
Final revision date: 2018-12-28
Acceptance date: 2019-05-22
Online publication date: 2019-12-16
Publication date: 2020-02-13
Corresponding author
Tamara Zalewska
Institute of Meteorology and Water Management - National Research Institute, Waszyngtona 42, 81-342, Gdynia, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(2):1601-1611
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ABSTRACT
A micronucleus test is a common test used as a biological indicator reflecting environmental
genotoxicity caused by some of the hazardous substances’ presence, and due to this it is recommended
as one of the indicators for marine environmental status assessment. To determine the status of the
environment, herring blood samples were collected in 2014-2017 in the southern Baltic Sea area at
seven fishing grounds. The conducted analysis revealed that there is no significant correlation between
the number of micronuclei in erythrocytes and sampling locations each year. This could be a result of
a similar chemical status of the assessed areas as well as similar physico-chemical characteristics, but
also the individual condition of the examined fish has to be taken into account as well as the their size
parameters (length and weight). Statistical analysis showed statistically significant differences between
the results over the years of research. The highest median values in all locations occurred in 2017, in
which they were in the range of 0.57-1.37, probably as a result of longer lengths. The threshold value was
exceeded in 2016 and 2017 in all locations, indicating inadequate status of the marine environment.