Evaluation of the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of water from the River Paraíba do Sul, in Brazil, with the Allium cepa L. test

Abstract

This work investigated the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of water from the River Paraíba do Sul (Brazil) using Allium cepa roots. An anatomo-morphological parameter (root length), mitotic indices, and frequency of micronuclei were analysed. Eight bulbs were chosen at random for treatment for 24 to 120 hours with the River water collected in the years of 2005 and 2006 from sites in the cities of Tremembé and Aparecida (São Paulo state, Brazil). Daily measurements of the length of the roots grown from each bulb were carried out throughout the experiment. Mitotic index (MI) and frequency of micronuclei (MN) were determined for 2000 cells per root, using 3-5 root tips from other bulbs (7-10). Only in the roots treated with samples of the River water collected in 2005 in Tremembé city was there a decrease in the root length growth compared to the respective control. However, a reduction in MI values was verified for both sites analysed for that year. Considering the data involving root length growth and especially MI values, a cytotoxic potential is suggested for the water of the River Paraíba do Sul at Tremembé and Aparecida, in the year of 2005. On the other hand, since in this year the MN frequency was not affected with the river water treatments, genotoxicity is not assumed for the river water sampled at the aforementioned places.

Genotoxicity and toxicity evaluations of ECF cellulose bleaching effluents using the Allium cepa L. Test

“…The common onion, Allium cepa L. (2n = 16), constitutes a very convenient test system for estimating the harmful effects of chemicals on biological materials. The A. cepa assay is an efficient test for chemical screening and in situ monitoring of the genotoxicity effect of environmental contaminants (Fiskesjö, 1985(Fiskesjö, , 1993Barbérico et al, 2009;Siddiqui et al, 2011;Nunes et al, 2011). This test has been widely used to study the toxicity and genotoxicity of many dangerous contaminants, such as pesticides, azo dyes, food preservatives and hydrocarbons (Riffat and Ahmad, 2006;Mittergger et al, 2007;Feretti et al, 2007;Türkoğlu, 2007;Leme and Marin-Morales, 2008;Mustafa and Arikan, 2008;Ashraf and Husain, 2010), where all tests have shown that A. cepa is more sensitive for detecting toxicity and genotoxicity than other tests.…”

Bioassays with Plants in the Monitoring of Water Quality

“…Pollutants with mutagenic and cytotoxic potentials produce effects such as DNA fragmentation, induction of chromosome aberrations, inhibition of cellular division, and arrest of the cellular cycle, that can be cytologically detected [18]. Plant roots are generally useful tools in biological tests, because they are the first structures to be exposed to chemical variations in the water and soil [19]. Many types of assays for evaluation of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity employing microorganisms and mammalian cells have been used for monitoring complex environmental samples such as river water.…”

“…Plant bioassays, which are mostly sensitive for the detection of genotoxicity, may provide a warning of environmental hazards in the water [19]. The Allium cepa test has been widely used for monitoring potentially cytotoxic and genotoxic effects promoted by pollutants in water, air, and soil.…”

Antimitotic and antimutagenic action of the Hymenaea stigonocarpa bark on dividing cells

“…Furthermore, Cardoso et al (2014), Neves et al (2014), Barbério et al (2009), Sturbelle et al (2008, and Rigonato et al (2005) classify the A. cepa test system as very efficient for the initial evaluation of the cytotoxic, mutagenic and antimutagenic potential of natural products.…”