Preliminary Microplate Ames MPF™ test use in assessment of mutagenic properties of spider webs

Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Protection, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland

^* Corresponding author : radoslaw.rutkowski@pwr.edu.pl

Abstract

Air pollution is one of the most urgent problems of modern world, eventually causing the premature death of millions people every year. One of the burdens due to exposure to air pollutants is a lung cancer. It is necessary to develop new effective methods of carcinogen monitoring. The aim of the study was to evaluate if spider webs are suitable for the assessment of air mutagenicity by Ames MPF™ test. It is the first time spider webs had been incorporated into Ames MPF™ procedure. Webs of two spider species Araneus diadematus and Agelena labyrinthica have been collected at four sites exposed to high pollutants emission. Salmonella typhimurium TA98 strain without metabolic fraction have been used for the assay. All samples exhibited mutagenic activity most likely due to the road traffic. Webs of A. labyrinthica have shown higher mutagenicity effects at the tested sites in comparison to A. diadematus, plausibly because of the longer exposition time. The results are most promising and indicate high potential of combining spider webs and MPF™ procedure for assessing the mutagenic properties of urban air pollution.