Genotoxicity biomarker in the amphipod Gammarus elvirae exposed in vivo to Mercury and Lead.

The present work deals with the development and validation of genotoxicity biomarker by use of the Comet assay in two cells type, haemocytes and spermatozoa, of the crustacean Gammarus elvirae exposed to heavy metals. In the first part of the study, gammarids were collected and maintained in uncontaminated freshwater and exposed in laboratory standard condition to mercury and lead, in order to evaluate the feasibility of the test, to better understand time and concentration of action of these two heavy metals and checking the effectiveness of limits concentrations currently accepted in Italian legislation; 0.5 μg/l for Hg and 50 μg/l for Pb. At this purpose mercury and lead in vivo exposure concentrations was chosen closest to concentration limits. The second part of this work focuses on the study of basal levels of DNA damage in the two cells type considered in two different gammarids species, G. elvirae and Echinogammarus veneris, in order to establish a clear and stable basal level