The Gulf of Follonica (Italy) is impacted by the chemical pollution from ancient mining activity and present industrial processes. This study was aimed to determine the bioavailability of dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) in coastal marine environment and to assess the genotoxic potential of waste waters entering the sea from an industrial canal. Moderately high levels of DCLs compounds (∑ PCDDs + PCDFs 2.18–29.00 pg/g dry wt) were detected in Mytilus galloprovincialis transplanted near the waste waters canal and their corresponding Toxic Equivalents (TEQs) calculated. In situ exposed mussels did not show any genotoxic effect (by Comet and Micronucleus assay). Otherwise, laboratory exposure to canal waters exhibited a reduced genomic template stability (by RAPD-PCR assay) but not DNA or chromosomal damage. Our data reveal the need to focus on the levels and distribution of DLCs in edible species from the study area considering their potential transfer to humans through the consumption of sea food.

Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Section of Applied Biology and Genetics University of Pisa Pisa Italy

Department of Environmental Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies 2nd University of Naples Caserta Italy

Department of Physical Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Siena Siena Italy

Department of Physical Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Siena Siena Italy; Department of Biosciences University of Milan Milan Italy

Department of Physical Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Siena Siena Italy; Masaryk University Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment Brno Czech Republic; Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Católica Santísima Concepción Concepción Chile

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