Kastoria and Mikri Prespa Lakes: The Impact of Anthropogenic Activities on the Differentiation in the Genotoxic and Toxic Profile of the Surface Water

Urban-industrial and agricultural waste can add significant amounts of pollutants to surface water. Therefore, the surface water from Mikri Prespa and Kastoria lakes was assessed for its toxic, genotoxic, and cytotoxic effects. Water samples were collected during the spring of two different years (S1 and S2) in order to investigate the anthropogenic effects on both lakes. Physicochemical parameters were identified, while significant elements were determined via ICP-MS/MS. The in vitro cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay in cultured human lymphocytes and the Aliivibrio fischeri bioassay were applied to evaluate the genotoxic-cytotoxic and toxic effects, respectively. In the CBMN assay, significant differences were observed in genotoxic and cytotoxic indices between the different time periods. Decreased indices in S2 could be correlated with a potential diminution in the negative human effect on the environment along the lakes. In the Aliivibrio fischeri bioassay, no significant difference in the toxicity of the surface water samples from Mikri Prespa was observed, whereas significant differences were identified in the samples from Lake Kastoria. The differences in toxic, genotoxic, and cytotoxic effects reveal the impact and the influence of anthropogenic activities in the areas of land around the lakes in relation to their surface water quality.