DNA strand breaks in the crab Carcinus aestuarii exposed to three BPA analogues and their mixture

Abstract

In this study, the genotoxic effects of three different bisphenols (BPAF, BPF and BPS) and their mixture were assessed in the crab Carcinus aestuarii. Crabs were exposed for 7 and 14 days to 300 ng/L of BPA analogues, alone or as a mixture (100 ng/L for each compound). After 7- and 14-day exposure, gills and hepatopancreas were sampled from crabs to evaluate damage to DNA by quantifying the levels of DNA single- and double-strand breaks. Results indicated that BPA analogues increased the DNA damage in both gills and hepatopancreas. In detail, BPAF, the most hydrophobic compound tested, exerted a marked effect on DNA. Overall, results suggest that such relatively new compounds can cause damage to DNA in crabs, raising doubts about the toxicological profile of BPA analogues, at least in the species studied and under the conditions tested in this study.