Environmental genotoxicity and risk assessment in herring (Clupea harengus), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and flounder (Platichthys flesus) caught in the Gotland Basins from the Baltic Sea (2010-2017)

The Gotland Basins are mostly polluted by anthracene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, cesium-137, DDE, dioxins, mercury and TBT. These chemicals have toxic, carcinogenic and immunotoxic effect to marine animals. After the World War II chemical weapons (CW) were transported from Germany and dumped in the considerably wide area in the Gotland Deep. Rusted bombs, shells and containers have eroded leading to the leakage of hazardous substances in to the environment. Four nuclear abnormalities of genotoxicity were studied in peripheral blood erythrocytes of herring (Clupea harengus), flounder (Platichthys flesus) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) sampled (2010–2017) at 38 study stations in the Polish and at 14 study stations in the Lithuanian Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). Significant time-related decrease of genotoxicity endpoints were detected in the Lithuanian EEZ (2015–2017), while opposite tendency was revealed in the Polish EEZ (2014–2016). The highest ∑Gentox values were revealed in fish caught at stations, which are relatively close to each other that showing increased obviously environmental genotoxicity pressure for fish in these areas. Exceptionally high and high genotoxicity risk was obtained for herring at higher percentage of stations studied followed by flounder and cod.