Cytotoxicity of settling particulate matter and sediments of the Neckar River (Germany) during a winter flood

To investigate the cytotoxic and genotoxic potentials of settling particulate matter (SPM) carried by the Neckar River, a well‐studied model for a lock‐regulated river in central Europe, during a flood, acute cytotoxicity was investigated using the fibroblast‐like fish cell line RTG‐2 with the neutral red retention, the succinic acid dehydrogenase (MTT), and the lactatedehydro‐genase (LDH) release assays as well as microscopic inspection as endpoints. Genotoxicity of water, pore water, sediments, and SPM were assessed using the Ames test. Different extraction methods (Soxhlet extraction with solvents of variable polarity as well as a fluid/fluid extraction according to pH) in addition to a supplementation of biotests with S9 fractions from the liver of β‐naphthoflavone/phenobarbital‐induced rats allowed a further characterization of the biological damage. Both sediments and SPM extracts caused cytotoxic effects in RTG‐2 cells. Cytotoxicity was found to increase significantly with polarity of extracting solvents (NR50 = effective concentration for 50% cell death in the neutral red test: 80 [65], 100 [70], 180 [220], and 225 [270] mg/ml for ethanol, acetone, dichloromethane, and n‐hexane extracts, respectively, if measured with [without] S9 supplementation). Following extraction according to pH, cytotoxicity could be attributed mainly to neutral substances (NR50: 80 and 218 mg dry SPM/ml test medium for the neutral and the acid fractions, respectively), whereas the slightly acid and basic fractions already showed little or no cytotoxicity. Samples taken during the period of flood rise showed the highest cytotoxic activities. Cytotoxicity was significantly enhanced by the addition of S9 preparations. In contrast, no genotoxic activity was found in native surface waters, pore waters, and SPM.

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