| Summary: |
Genotoxic effects on soil samples collected in an Italian refinery were evaluated by comet assay and micronuclei tests in plant cells to describe the effects of pollutants released into the environment by oil refinery activities. The results by these cytogenetic short-term assays have been compared with the results of a DNA biosensor.In the last years, the nucleic acids application as device for recognition and monitoring of pollutants have been in-creased.Micronucleus test provides evidence of the mutagenic, clastogenic and mitoclastic effects of agents, as well of chemical-physical mutagenic agents. The alkaline comet assay is ideal as short-term genotoxic test, thanks to its simplicity and its request of few cells.A DNA biosensor is a device based on molecular recognition of nucleic acids of low-molecular weight substances, like most of the environmental pollutants. The in-teractions with these substances induce chemical-physical modifications on DNA (immobilised on the electrodic surface), so changing its electrochemical properties. The DNA biosensor is assembled with miniaturized electrochemical trasducers of graphite, and on its surface dsDNA is immobilised. Electrochemical trasducers are obtained by screen printing process.This study demonstrates that the comparison of the results obtained by different tests is a reliable approach to provide a complete view of the interactions among the substances that may induce biochemical damage. |