Assessment of Liveability and Genotoxic Response of Edible Snail, Pachymelania aurita on Exposure to an Endocrine Disrupting Chemical

Abstract

Two hundred edible snails, Pachymelania aurita (Isam) were exposed to graded levels (1, 5, 25 and 100 μg/L; A, B, C and D respectively) of bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) and its effect on liveability (ability to crawl and mortality) and genotoxicity (presence or absence of high molecular weight DNA) at days 7, 14 and 21 of exposure determined. Decreases in snails activity were observed in A, B and C groups by day-14 today-21. No significant weight change was recorded. Group D snails recorded 8 dead snails during the second week,and 5 snails each during the first and third week. Gel electrophoresis of DNA extracted from group D snails showed faint bands at 7 and 14 days, indicating degradation of the genomic DNA but not at 21, indicating an adaptation of snails to the high level of the chemical. There is the need to monitor levels of EDC in Nigerian freshwater bodies in order to conserve its food organisms.