GENOTOXICITY IN WATER AND SEDIMENT EXTRACTS FROM THE ST-LAWRENCE-RIVER SYSTEM, USING THE SOS CHROMOTEST

Surface water and sediments from the St Lawrence River system (Quebec region) were analysed for genotoxicity using the SOS Chromotest, as well as for their chemical concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Additionally, chlorobenzenes, polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorinated pesticides, ammonia and nitrite concentrations in sediments were determined. Water and sediments sampled from twenty-five sites were initially partitioned into their aqueous and particulate phases by tangential flow filtration and centrifugation, respectively. Organic contaminants were extracted from the fractions with dichloromethane. For surface water, fifteen extracts of filtered water and seven of particulates, and for sediments one extract of pore water and three of particulates proved to be weakly genotoxic. All but one of the genotoxic responses observed in the surface water were obtained from samples taken from the highly industrial portion of the St Lawrence River system, with the strongest responses observed in Lake St Louis. Surface water genotoxicants partitioning favours the particulate fraction. Bottom particulates genotoxicity was 1000-fold weaker than suspended particulates, on a per unit weight basis. Additionally, whole sediments were extracted with a 10% dimethylsulfoxide-saline solution. The observed distributions of genotoxicity values did not correlate with observed concentrations of demonstrated SOS inducers, mutagens and/or carcinogens, nor with the presence of other toxic chemicals.