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Chromosomal instability in rodents caused by pollution from Baikonur cosmodrome

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Abstract

An assessment of the health status of ecosystems exposed to man-made pollution is a vital issue for many countries. Particularly it concerns the consequences of contamination caused by the activity of the space industry. Each rocket launch is accompanied by the introduction of parts of the rocket propellant into the environment. This study aims to scrutinize the effect of the components of rocket fuel on the induction of lipid peroxidation and chromosomal aberrations on rodents inhabiting the area exposed to pollution from Baikonur cosmodrome. The results showed the increase of the level of lipid hydroperoxide and malondialdehyde in the livers of Citellus pygmaeus Pallas and Mus musculus L., which indicates an augmentation of free radical activity and DNA damage. The cytogenetic analysis of bone marrow cells revealed that the frequency of chromosomal aberrations was a few times higher in the rodents from contaminated territory. The signs of oxidative stress and high level of chromosomal aberrations indicate the environmental impact of the cosmodrome, and its possible toxic and mutagenic effects on ecosystems.

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Abbreviations

UDMH:

Unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine

NDMA:

Nitrosodimethylamine

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

LHP:

Lipid hydroperoxide

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

NO:

Nitric oxide

PLO:

Product of lipid oxidation

SH-group:

Sulfhydryl group

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Paul Bartlett for helping to write this article. The experimental work was supported by the Committee of Science Department of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan through the grants: ‘Induced mutagenesis in mammals and measures for decreasing its risk by using biologically active substances of natural origin’ (Grant number 0106RK00279, period of grant 2006–2008) and ‘Study of genotoxic effects of environmental pollutants on mammals’ (Grant number 0112RK00580, period of grant 2012–2014).

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The authors disclose no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Regenerative Medicine and Artificial Organs, PE “Center for Life Sciences”, JSC Nazarbayev University, Unit 9, 53 Kabanbay batyr Ave, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan

    Dinara Begimbetova & Timur Saliev

  2. Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71 av. Al-Farabi, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan

    Saule Kolumbayeva, Tamara Shalakhmetova, Anna Lovinskaya & Benazir Zhunusbekova

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  1. Saule Kolumbayeva
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  2. Dinara Begimbetova
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  6. Benazir Zhunusbekova
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Correspondence to Timur Saliev.

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Kolumbayeva, S., Begimbetova, D., Shalakhmetova, T. et al. Chromosomal instability in rodents caused by pollution from Baikonur cosmodrome. Ecotoxicology 23, 1283–1291 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-014-1271-1

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