Micronuclei and Other Nuclear Abnormalities in <i>Patella</i> Limpet as Biomarkers of Cytogenotoxicity in Recreational Port Waters

Over the past decades, the growth in human population and economic activities has led to an increase in maritime traffic. This rise puts additional pressure on marine environments, vessel fuel spills being considered to have a major impact on the ecosystem. In this study we conducted the micronucleus (MN) test on 48 limpets of the genus Patella between June and July 2024, from four marinas of the Asturias coast (SW Bay of Biscay) with different traffic volumes, water metal contents (As, Cd, Hg and Pb), and use of fuel types as determined from a survey to ship owners. We also conducted an experiment exposing limpets to recreational boat contaminants (petrol, diesel, and ecological soap) for 5 days, then analyzing MN and other nuclear abnormalities (NAs). Results revealed that limpets exposed to petrol exhibited the highest MN count, and the highest proportion of MN (over all the NA), followed by those exposed to diesel. The group treated with ecological soap did not differ significantly from the untreated control. Limpets from the biggest Gijón marina exhibited the highest MN count and the highest As concentration. In regression analysis, the level of MN and other NAs in limpets sampled from the marinas was explained directly by the city size, and by the sum of stressors including the proportion of boats using petrol. The proportion of MN over total abnormalities was correlated with the number of moorings. These results support the contribution of recreational boating to cytogenotoxicity in local communities of marine fauna, likely from fuel spills.