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The Allium test--an alternative in environmental studies: the relative toxicity of metal ions
Abstract
Among the test systems suitable for toxicity monitoring, the Allium test (A. cepa) is well known and commonly used in many laboratories, The onions are easy to store and to handle, and the root tip cells constitute a convenient system for macroscopic (growth, EC50 values) as well as for microscopic parameters (c-mitosis, stickiness, chromosome breaks). Since the cells possess important plant activation enzymes, the Allium test has a wide area of application. Furthermore, results from the Allium test have shown good agreement with results from other test systems, eukaryotic as well as prokaryotic.
... The A. cepa test is used for cytotoxicity and genotoxicity evaluations of different environmental contaminants [23]. It is more sensitive in detecting toxicity and genotoxicity than other tests [24]. A. cepa root tips are directly exposed to toxic materials dispersed in soil or water [24], making them highly sensitive to toxicants [25]. ...
... It is more sensitive in detecting toxicity and genotoxicity than other tests [24]. A. cepa root tips are directly exposed to toxic materials dispersed in soil or water [24], making them highly sensitive to toxicants [25]. Furthermore, the strong correlation of the A. cepa test system with mammalian and non-mammalian test models enhances its significance in research [21,26]. ...
... At the end of each exposure time (24,48,72, and 96 h) for the treatment experiments, 10 to 15 randomly selected root tips (8-10 mm in length) were cut from each of five onion bulbs using sterile razor blades. This process was performed between 07:00 and 08:00 in the morning since the highest mitotic rate in A. cepa root meristems is between 06:00 and 09:00 [28]. ...
Abamectin, a widely used pesticide with insecticidal, anthelmintic, and acaricidal properties, has raised safety concerns due to its toxic effects on certain non-target organisms. The toxicity of abamectin, the active ingredient in the commercial pesticide formulation Alopec? EC, was evaluated using cytogenetic and comet assays on Allium cepa root tips. Mitotic index (MI) and phase index (PI) values were used for cytotoxicity assessment. Chromosomal aberration (CA) frequencies in the dividing cells and comet data were used for genotoxicity assessment. The root growth test showed a significant concentration-based decline in root growth after abamectin exposure, with a median effective concentration (EC50) of 2.50 mg/L. Following 96-hour exposure to three concentrations of abamectin (1.25, 2.50, and 5.00 mg/L), cytogenetic and comet analyses indicated a significant concentration- and time-dependent decrease in the MI, alongside an increase in DNA damage. Additionally, there was a significant concentration-dependent rise in the total frequency of CAs. These findings show that abamectin is a pesticide with lethal effects on A. cepa root tip meristematic cells, even at lower concentrations, over prolonged exposure times, with CA-forming and DNA-damaging effects, and that it is highly cytotoxic and genotoxic.
... A avaliação da toxicidade dos extratos aquosos de folhas secas e frescas de M. charantia L. foi realizada utilizando bulbos de Allium cepa e seguindo a metodologia descrita por Fiskesjo (1988), com modificações. Os bulbos de cebola foram adquiridos em supermercados na cidade de Ariquemes-RO e foram mantidos em local seco e protegido da luz. ...
... Dois tipos de extrato foram avaliados: extrato seco e extrato fresco de M. charantia L. Cada ensaio foi composto por um grupo controle (utilizando água mineral) e grupos com concentrações de 25%, 50%, 75% e 100% do extrato em duplicatas. Para cada grupo avaliado, foram incubadas oito cebolas em iguais condições, sendo quatro para cada duplicata, seguindo a metodologia descrita porFiskesjo (1988), com algumas modificações.Após 72 horas, o comprimento médio das raízes de todas as cebolas em cada grupo experimental foi medido. Em seguida, o Índice de Crescimento Relativo (ICR) foi calculado como a razão entre o comprimento médio da radícula na amostra e o comprimento médio da radícula no controle negativo. ...
Este estudo investigou os efeitos de extratos aquosos de folhas frescas e secas de
Mormodica charantia L. sobre o crescimento radicular e a atividade enzimática da
peroxidase em bulbos de Allium cepa L. A inibição relativa do crescimento das raízes
e a atividade da peroxidase foram avaliadas tanto na porção escamosa (catafilo)
quanto na porção central (gema) em diferentes concentrações dos extratos. Os
resultados indicaram que os extratos influenciaram o crescimento das raízes de
maneira distinta entre as concentrações, sem uma correlação significativa observada
entre o tipo de extrato e o efeito da concentração. A atividade da peroxidase variou
entre as regiões do bulbo e os tipos de extrato, com extratos frescos geralmente
apresentando valores mais baixos em comparação com os secos. Esses achados
sugerem que os extratos de Mormodica charantia L. impactam significativamente a
atividade enzimática da peroxidase em diferentes regiões do bulbo, destacando as
potenciais propriedades bioquímicas da planta.
... Array of plant assays, viz., Vicia faba chromosomal aberration assay, Tradescantia stamen hair mutation bioassay, Allium cepa root chromosomal aberration assay, Tradescantia micronucleus bioassay, Hordeum vulgare chromosomal aberration assay have been developed to test the toxicity of test chemicals (Constantin and Nilan, 1982;Kanaya et al., 1994;Ma et al., 1994;Grover and Kaur, 1999). A. cepa root chromosomal aberration assay is most commonly employed plant based-assay for testing genotoxicity of various pollutants, heavy metals, sewage water, pesticides, food dyes, drugs, etc. (Fiskesjo, 1988;Kovalchuk et al., 1998;Grover and Kaur, 1999;Nefic et al., 2013;Tripathy and Rao, 2015). Results of this test offer significant information regarding clastogenic and aneugenic alterations occurring in the genetic material in response to test chemicals (Leme and Marin-Morales 2009). ...
... In this assay, A. cepa roots are treated with test substance (prospective genotoxin) and root tip cells were squashed and examined for any kind of chromosomal aberrations. Increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberration is concluded as marker of genotoxicity (Fiskesjo, 1988;Kovalchuk et al., 1998;Grover and Kaur, 1999). This assay has also been modified for assessing the antigenotoxic effects of several medicinal plants and their constituents (Raghunath and Pannerselvam 2007;Sondhi et al., 2008;Sreeranjini and Siril, 2011;Kumari et al., 2012;Fedel-Miyasato et al., 2014). ...
Plethora of environmental mutagens and genotoxins are prevalent in our environmental surroundings which are posing threat to human health. Entry of these substances in the living cells may lead to the formation of DNA adducts, DNA reactive by-products and production of various reactive species which may cause mutations and defects in the cellular repair systems leading to chemical carcinogenesis. Alternatively, plant-based natural products have shown to exhibit counteracting effects on these mutagens and carcinogens via interfering with their uptake and metabolism. Routinely, varieties of bacterial, plant and animal-based bioassays are being used for assessing the antimutagenic/antigenotoxic effects of phytoconstituents. The most common assays are Ames assay, SOS chromotest, Comet assay, Allium cepa/Vicia faba root chromosomal assay, micronucleus assay, etc. In the present chapter, we have discussed and emphasized the role of diverse assay/test systems which are being employed for evaluation of antimutagenic/antigenotoxic activities.
... Plants have been introduced to detect the genotoxical and cytological effects of different types of chemical compounds due to their high sensitivity and simplicity. Due to its kinetic proliferation characteristics, low number (2n = 16) of large chromosomes, ease of manipulation, sensitivity, low cost, and other properties that aid in its analysis for deletion or damage to the DNA structure, Allium cepa is thought to be an effective system test for genotoxic evaluation (Fiskesjo, 1988). ...
... The rings of the primordial root were not broken apart in any way. Following the procedure given by (Gadano et al., 2002) and (Fiskesjo, 1988), a number of cleaned small-sized bulbs of onion, also known as Allium cepa, were soaked in water and allowed to sprout. Following a period of 48 hours, those with the most developed root systems were chosen. ...
Food dye is a synthetic chemical that improves food color, taste, and flavor and is used as a preservative. It is considered that synthetic food dyes are toxic compounds that have several adverse effects on living organisms, including genotoxicity. The Allium cepa genotoxicity test was used to assess the genotoxicity of unprocessed red dye from a local grocery store. The Allium cepa test is a low-cost but reliable genotoxicity test in which Allium cepa roots are grown in varying concentrations of the test substance. A student t-test statistically evaluated the result of the mean root length. Our results were highly significant (p<0.01) and clearly showed that the toxicity of the red dye prompted Allium cepa root growth inhibition and that this effect was increased with a higher concentration of the dye solution. Moreover, the mitotic index (MI) decreased as concentration increased. However, the percent (%) of aberrations increased by increased concentration. At the cellular level, dividing cells could be found in different concentrations of effluents. Different kinds of chromosomal abnormalities were also observed, including vagrants, bridges, fragments, stickiness, and multiple anaphases, generating evidence that those dye effluents have genotoxic effects on eukaryotic cells. The results of this study's data demonstrated that plant bioassays might be a valuable test battery for identifying substances that may be genotoxic.
... This may suggest that the water samples did not contain substances that could inhibit or decrease the root length following the treatment. In contrast to this study, it was found that inhibition of root growth occurred in A. cepa when treated with environmental pollutants [28]. ...
... This study found a remarkably high percentage of lagging chromosomes, disturbed anaphase and spindle disturbance among the types of chromosome abnormalities observed. On the other hand, other study [28] found that the chromosome stickiness was amongst the highest types of abnormalities observed in the study of environmental pollutants in river water. A research on chlorinated river water by [35] using Allium test recorded a high percentage of chromosome breakages in the onion cells. ...
Allium cepa test is widely used to evaluate the effects of water pollution based on dividing cells since it is a very sensitive tool for prediction and recognition of environmental stresses. This study aimed to evaluate the potential use of A. cepa as a molecular biological indicator to detect the presence of water pollution. A. cepa roots were exposed to water samples at 24 and 48 hours with tap water and hydrogen peroxide solution as controls. The effects of water sample exposure on A. cepa were analysed based on the plant cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and expression of stress gene between test samples and control sets. The findings showed no significant changes observed in mitotic index of A. cepa exposed to water samples compared to negative control. There is also no expression of alliinase gene was detected. However, there is chromosomal abnormalities observed in A. cepa exposed at 24 and 48 hours. The chromosomal abnormalities detected include lagging chromosome, c-mitosis, disrupted anaphase, disrupted metaphase, spindle disturbance, and stickiness. Our study shows that molecular biological method could be a potential method to serve as an effective, sensitive, and useful marker for water pollution determination.
... A partir dos dados coletados, procedeu-se ao cálculo da média do tamanho das três maiores raízes (conforme apresentado na Tabela 2). (Fiskesjo, 1988). Somente o igarapé Viena, no período de cheia, exibiu um efeito citotóxico (p = 0,041), o que sugere a presença de substâncias que podem prejudicar as células, levando a e podem prejudicar as células, levando a disfunções ou até danos genéticos (Silva e Nascimento, 2013;Ribeiro et al., 2016). ...
O estudo avaliou os efeitos de toxicidade, citotoxicidade, genotoxicidade e o índice de micronúcleo em três corpos d'água de Porto Velho-RO, usando o sistema teste Allium cepa. Foram germinados bulbos de cebola em amostras dos igarapés, além de dois grupos de controle: negativo (água destilada) e positivo (800 mg/L de paracetamol). Após 96 horas, as raízes foram coletadas, processadas e analisadas para medir a toxicidade, além de contar 1000 células para calcular o índice mitótico (IM), anomalias cromossômicas (AC) e micronúcleo (MN). O igarapé Viena durante a seca foi o único que não apresentou toxicidade (p > 0.116), enquanto os demais corpos d’água apresentaram resultados significativos (p < 0.05). Para a citotoxicidade, o igarapé Viena, durante a cheia, foi o único significativo (p = 0.041). Todos os igarapés mostraram efeitos genotóxicos, com destaque para Prudente de Moraes (cheia e seca) e Viena (cheia). Esses resultados refletem a poluição hídrica da região, destacando a necessidade de melhorias em saúde pública e saneamento básico em Porto Velho.
... Particularly, Allium cepa (common onion) used in plant bioassays serves as excellent genetic model for detecting environmental mutagens and is frequently employed in screening and monitoring endeavors due to ethical concerns associated with animal models in toxicity evaluations (Nawalage and Pathiratne 2020). The effectiveness of A. cepa as a test system for assessing cytotoxic and genotoxic effects caused by environmental contaminants was established by Levan in 1938(Fiskesjö 1988, and since then, it has been extensively used in environmental monitoring to evaluate numerous chemical agents. ...
Powdered laundry detergents, encompassing a diverse blend of organic and inorganic compounds, are crucial in efficiently removing dirt in household cleaning. This study investigated the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of commonly used powdered laundry detergents in Sri Lanka using the Allium cepa bioassay. Five detergents (four branded A, B, C, and D, and one non-branded E) were selected for assessment. Toxicity evaluations were conducted across a range of predetermined aqueous detergent concentrations (0–2500 mg/L) using the A. cepa bioassay, with all experiments being triplicated and following standard protocols. Exposure to detergent concentrations up to 500 mg/L resulted in mitosis suppression, nuclear aberrations, and chromosomal abnormalities in A. cepa, indicating concentration-dependent cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. Condensed nuclei were notably prevalent among nuclear abnormalities, while vagrant chromosomes and chromosomal adherence were the most frequent chromosomal aberrations observed. At higher concentrations (> 500 mg/L), the selected detergents induced necrotic cell death in A. cepa root meristematic cells. This study warns to avoid the unnecessary use of detergents as they cause significant ecological risks and advocates for further research to comprehensively assess detergent toxicity across diverse organisms within ecosystems to safeguard ecosystem health effectively.
... Root tips of the onion bulbs were measured for each concentration, and a plot was made to obtain the EC 50 as shown in Figure 2. Harungana madagascariensis had 316.23 μg/ml and the least was R. parvi lora. A concentrationdependent inhibition was observed which was also seen with the root number in Figure 1 and is in line with previous work [57,63,69,70]. ...
Recent studies have shown that long-term uses of herbs have been associated with a rise in morbidity and mortality rates. While most researches are focused on bioactivity investigations, the toxicity of many plants has not been reported. There is a paucity of data on the potential toxicity of the following plants: Harungana madagascariensis (HM), Pterocarpus osun (PO), Phoenix dactylifera (PD), Annona muricata (AM), and Rutidea parviflora (RP). To evaluate the toxicity of the above-mentioned plants; two tests were employed namely: The Brine shrimp lethality test (BSLT) and the Allium cepa test. A correlation between the oral acute toxicity assay in mice and the LC50 obtained from BSLT has been established. Allium cepa test measures the potential genotoxic effects of plant extracts exerted on the root meristem of A. cepa (onions). Plant extracts were administered in concentrations ranging from 100 to 2500 µg/ml to the A. cepa for 72 h to obtain their Mitotic Indices (MI) and EC50. Results of the MI at 2500 µg/ml for HM, PO, PD, AM, and RP were 3.75, 4.96, 5.96, 6.10, and 6.71 while 281.81, 398.11, 501.19, 630.96, and 707.9 µg/ml were obtained as the respective EC50 values. Furthermore, 10-1000 mcg/ml concentrations were administered in the BSLT and the obtained LC50 values were 116.3, 250, 581.5, 581.5, and 750 µg/ml. The toxicity result demonstrated that the five plants were moderately toxic, with RP exhibiting minimal toxicity values and thus potentially having a good safety profile. The phytochemical screening of these plants revealed the presence of some pharmacologically important classes of compounds that are abundant. Several bioactive and toxic compounds were identified in the GC-MS analysis for some of the plants.
... Because of its sensitivity, the Allium cepa test was the first of nine plant assay systems assessed by the US Environmental Protection Agency's Gene-Tox Programme [78,79]. The computation of the different chromosomal aberration fractions and the proportion of aberrant mitotic events forms the basis of the experiment [80]. Tradescantia is another essential plant for mutagenesis research. ...
Environmental toxins pose significant threats to ecosystems and human health. Monitoring and assessing these toxins are crucial for effective environmental management and public health protection. Recently, plant species have garnered increasing attention as potential bioindicators for identifying and evaluating ecological toxins. Since plants often come into touch with harmful compounds in soil, water, and the atmosphere, they are particularly valuable for analyzing how human activities influence the terrestrial ecosystem, the aquatic system, and the atmosphere. This review paper emphasizes using plant species as a resource for tracking environmental pollution and analyzing contaminants. We focused on plants because they are significant indicators of soil, water, and air quality changes. Many plants have been used as bio-indicators to assess and predict pollution, toxicity, and environmental changes. These include Allium cepa, Vicia faba, Pisum sativum, Zea mays, Nicotiana tabacum, lichens, and mosses. The idea of bioindicators is discussed in the current paper, with a focus on plants as possible candidates for bioindicators for toxin assessment and related outcomes.
... Different biological assays were used to investigate the genotoxic effects of some chemical, Allium sativum (Garlic) is commonly used as a suitable genetic model for cytological studies. In general, Alliumtest is used in laboratories to assess cytogenetic and genotoxic effects of harmful chemical substances by evaluating chromosomal aberrations and mitotic activity of root tip cells exposed to these substances (Ateeq et al, 2002;Bakare, 2001;Fiskesjö, 1988;C. Sharma, 1983). ...
Mitodepressive effect and chromosomal aberrations induced by KBrO3 on A. sativumLroot tips
... A high percentage of cells with C-mitosis and 'vagrant' chromosomes was reported at all tested concentrations of Nuprid 200 SL. C-mitosis can occur due to disrupted microtubules [39] or due to problems with the formation of the filaments of the division spindle [40]. The stock solution of the pesticide provokes deviations with a frequency exceeding the control of the other experimental variants. ...
Data from the present study indicate that the neonicotinoid insecticides Nuprid 200 SL (with the active substance imidacloprid) and Calypso 480 SC (with the active substance thiacloprid) reduce the mitotic activity by inhibiting cell division and increasing chromosomal aberrations in the cells of the root apical meristem of Allium cepa L. The tested solutions of pesticides cause a wide range of anomalies associated with disorders in forming the cell's division apparatus and the integrity of chromosomes. The comparative analysis of their mutagenic action shows a higher genotoxic potential of Calypso 480 SC. The established indices of chromosomal abnormalities for Calypso 480 SC and Nuprid 200 SL are 1.07 ± 0.38% and 0.70 ± 0.41% respectively. The mitosodepressant effect and a large number of chromosomal aberrations and mitotic abnormalities in Allium cepa cells when treated with Nuprid 200 SL and Calypso 480 SC are evidence of their high toxic potential and the significant risk of environmental pollution by their use in agriculture. Parts of this work was published in abstract form and presented as an oral presentation at the IV International Agricultural, Biological & Life Science conference, Edirne, Turkey, 2022 August 29-31, [1] and as a poster presentation at the 5th Balkan Scientific Conference on Biology, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, 2021 April 15-16 [2].
... The use of plant models in bioassays that prospect toxicity of environmental pollutants and vegetable compounds has been of great value in ecotoxicology and allelopathy researches (Fiskesjö, 1985;Fiskesjö, 1988;Leme;Marin-Morales, 2009;Andrade-Vieira et al., 2011;Andrade-Vieira et al., 2017;Santos et al., 2018). ...
The effects of Tityus serrulatus venom was accessed on the cell cycle and genetic material of the Lactuca sativa L. and compared with the damages to human leukocytes, in order to evaluate the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of toxins on cell types very different. The occurrence of cell cycle alterations and DNA fragmentation was evaluated in Lactuca sativa. Incubations of venom with human leukocytes were also held with subsequent evaluation of cell proliferation index, micronucleus and fragmented DNA. The T. serrulatus venom showed cytogenotoxic, reducing mitotic index and induced alterations in the cell cycle and micronuclei formation. The occurrence of cell death was evidenced by the detection of condensed nuclei, positive TUNEL signals, and presence of DNA fragmentation on lettuce cells. The scorpion venom induced DNA fragmentation and micronuclei in leukocytes. Further, the role of peptides and proteases from this venom in inducing the observed damage was discussed.
... Para realizar os testes toxicológicos, utilizou-se o método de fitotoxicidade Allium cepa L como bioindicador, da formulação F7, baseados de acordo com literatura [27], com adaptações. As Allium cepa L, foram preparadas, com a retirada de sua casca e suas raízes, os bulbos (n = 6) colocados sobre os tubos Falcon de 55 mL, contendo formulação em 1,0 g, 1,5 g, 3,0 g, 3,5 g, 5,0 g em concentrações de água deionizada (Figura 2). ...
The investigation aims to analyze the technical viability of addition the waste from the filter-press from the mineral coal treatment process (TFP) and bottom ash from a thermoelectric (CP), in ceramic paste on the laboratory scale. Physical-chemical characterization and waste classification tests were carried out. Subsequently, ten formulations were developed through the mixture design (DoE), incorporating these residues into a standard clay ceramic paste (STD). The samples were formed by extrusion without vacuum and subjected to heat treatment in an oven and fired in a muffle at 900 °C. The evaluated technological properties were: shrinkage of drying and firing, water absorption and mechanical resistance and, finally, efflorescence tests and phytotoxicological analysis were performed. The results of solid waste classification, indicated these as not being dangerous (Class II-B - inert). The technical analysis of the samples show that compared to the clay ceramic standard formulation (STD), the other mixtures obtained results within the technical parameters, which can later be carried out in an industrial scale test. Although the mechanical tests with waste incorporation were below the standard formulation (STD), a test on an industrial scale is not discarded. In the efflorescence test, it was observed that there was no presence of soluble salts. And finally, in the phyto-toxicological test, with Allium cepa L. of a formulation with aggregation of all raw materials, it presented a result marginally similar to the standard, proving itself capable of reproduction on an industrial scale.
Keywords
Clay Ceramic; Allium cepa L; Wastes; Coal Wastes; Bottom Ash
... Therefore, the composition of the RHA from Process II might contain bioactive elements that could prevent cell division. The reduced mitotic index associated with metal ions, such as Hg, Cu, Ni, Cd, Be, Al, Mn, and Li, was previously reported (Fiskesjö 1988). Heavy metal ions, such as Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, and Zi, although considered essential for plant development, might alter the function of enzymes and proteins when present in amounts exceeding the recommended levels, leading to metabolic disorders that might impair cell division (Anjum et al. 2015). ...
The most common alternative for the management and valorization of rice processing waste is the combustion of rice husk (RH) for energy generation. The environmental risk assessment of the ash generated during the combustion of the RH to obtain energy has remained understudied. Disposal of rice husk ash (RHA) on agricultural land is the most common outcome, which could pose a risk to both natural ecosystems and human health. The objective of this study was to characterize the physicochemical composition and the phytotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity of RHA obtained from three distinct combustion processes. The evaluation processes were 800–900 °C in up to 5 min (I), 800–900 °C in 15–20 min (II), and 600–700 °C in 15–20 min (III). Furthermore, the content, pH, and concentrations of Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, and Ti present in the ashes were determined. The germination index for two vegetable seeds was subsequently evaluated. By measuring the mitotic index and frequency of chromosomal aberrations, the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were determined. It was observed that RHA produced by combustion of RH at higher combustion temperatures for an extended period exhibited different physicochemical properties, in addition to higher levels of phytotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity.
... The roots exposed to the CIs at different concentrations derived from the obtained EC50 values were xed in a 3 :1 alcohol -acetic acid mixture (Carnoy´s solution) and stored in a refrigerator (4°C). From this material, cytological preparations were made using the acetic acid orcein technique (Fiskesjö, 1988). The cytotoxicity of the samples was estimated based on the proliferation of the roots (mitosis) quanti ed in parallel for all the samples as the MI. ...
The present work studied the physicochemical properties, i.e., solubility and partition coefficient and toxicity level of eight corrosion inhibitors (CIs), including two commercial CIs and six CIs synthesized by green chemistry as an ecological alternative to commercial CIs. The six environmentally friendly CIs were synthesized considering the basic principles of green chemistry, under ambient temperature and pressure conditions and in the absence of solvents, with a mass reaction efficiency greater than 80% and without the generation of residues. The six environmentally friendly CIs are zwitterionic form of β-amino acid compounds, three of which have structures where the R group is 12, 16, and 18 carbon atoms (CI-R12, CI-R16, and CI-R18) with one carboxylate group and the other three of which have two carboxylate groups (CI-R12-2, CI-R16-2, and CI-R18-2). Two CIs commercially used in the oil industry, CI-IMPG2, and CI-PG12A, were also studied. The chemical structure of the CI, the temperature, and the solvent are factors that determine CI solubility; most CIs exhibit greater solubility in polar media, such as isopropanol: saline solution mixture. The partition coefficient in the aqueous phase: organic phase and mixtures with different volumetric proportions were higher for the environmentally friendly CI in an 80:20 vol% mixture. The 50% effective concentration (EC 50 ), based on stimulation of root growth of Allium cepa , was lowest for CI-IMPG2 and CI-R16-2.
... Paracetamol contamination is prevalent in Nigeria's water bodies, with the detection frequencies of 100 % conducted in tap water (Olaitan et al., 2017) and surface water (Ebele et al., 2020). Allium cepa assay was adopted and modified for the ecotoxicity studies of this group of contaminants (PCs) from its previously established application for toxicants (Fiskesjö, 1988, Fiskesjó, 1993. Allium cepa is also an effective test species for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation assay (Ndlela et al., 2020, Omotola et al., 2021 and for ascertaining chromosomal aberrations induced in plants at different mitotic stages by toxic substances, and for the determination of potential fatal impacts such as apoptosis (Ndlela et al., 2020, Omotola et al., 2021. ...
... Paracetamol contamination is prevalent in Nigeria's water bodies, with the detection frequencies of 100 % conducted in tap water (Olaitan et al., 2017) and surface water (Ebele et al., 2020). Allium cepa assay was adopted and modified for the ecotoxicity studies of this group of contaminants (PCs) from its previously established application for toxicants (Fiskesjö, 1988, Fiskesjó, 1993. Allium cepa is also an effective test species for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation assay (Ndlela et al., 2020, Omotola et al., 2021 and for ascertaining chromosomal aberrations induced in plants at different mitotic stages by toxic substances, and for the determination of potential fatal impacts such as apoptosis (Ndlela et al., 2020, Omotola et al., 2021. ...
... Fiskesjo [25] has established drinking water contamination by copper using the A. cepa L. test. Subsequently, the author has successfully extended the same test for others to detect different toxic metals such as Hg, Ni, Cu, Cd, Ne, Al, Mn and Li, establishing chromosomal abnormalities in the form of C-metaphase to be associated with heavy metal Ni [26]. ...
Numerous genes in flowering plants, including onion (Allium cepa L.) govern morphological character differences in structure, shape, orientation, weight and number, etc. arising from their assortment and recombination due to pollination. Pollination in onion flower occurs mainly by insects (91%) and wind (9%), with gravity also contributing to the pollination process. The hybrid vigour seeds through cross pollination as an essential input in enhancing crop productivity. The present study reveals that an onion plant generally takes around 63 days to attain flowering position, and complete flowering condition in 70–72 days, which include 15–18 days for sprouting of the green hollow fleshy shoots along with about 45 days to complete the peduncle formation on the top small part of the bud. A. cepa L. takes around 160 days to produce mature seeds with life cycle completion. The onion bulb roots are used for the last 50 years to study chromosomal behaviour as an indicator of environmental water pollution. The presence of different impurities and heavy metals in the polluted water causes reduction in reproductive capacity of cells due to the occurrence of peculiarity from the normal mitotic cell division in onion . Cytotoxicity influences all morphological characters, including root growth retardation, mitotic index, chromosomal aberration, etc. Thus, the present investigation explores the effect of pollutant water on pollination biology, cytotoxicity, root apical meristem cells in onion. We report a significant (p < 0.05) in the mitotic index in polluted water as compared to normal water.
... Moreover, findings from the A. cepa test system have a broader application as it is documented to show a good correlation with mammalian test systems (Fiskesjo 1985;Grant 1994;Leme & Marin-Morales 2009). Besides the microscopic observations of cytogenetic effects, the A. cepa bioassay can also be used to evaluate macroscopic phytotoxic endpoints such as root and/or shoot growth (Fiskesjo 1988). Therefore, the A. cepa bioassay has been frequently used as a sensitive test system in environmental monitoring for several decades. ...
The study of the modulation of the toxicity of heavy metals by coexisting chemicals in the environment is vital for realistic ecological risk assessment. Our study was aimed at determining possible toxicity modulations of Cd by humic acid (HA) using the Allium cepa test system. A. cepa bulbs were exposed to Cd (1 and 5 mg/L) and HA (10 mg/L) individually or in mixtures. The root lengths of the bulbs and cytogenetic endpoints in root meristematic cells, including the mitotic index (MI), nuclear abnormalities (NAs), and chromosomal abnormalities (CAs), were determined. The results revealed that the MIs of A. cepa co-exposed to HA and Cd were significantly recovered by >15% compared with those of A. cepa subjected to Cd-only treatments, and this response was more sensitive than the phytotoxic response (root length). Furthermore, the burden of NAs was significantly decreased in the co-exposed bulbs by >20% compared with bulbs with Cd-only treatments. The frequencies of CAs were also reduced in the bulbs co-exposed to HA and 1 and 5 mg/L Cd by >15 and >25%, respectively, compared with bulbs receiving Cd-only treatments. Therefore, our findings indicated that HA plays a significant protective role in Cd toxicity in A. cepa.
HIGHLIGHTS
Allium cepa was used to determine the modulation of Cd toxicity by humic acid using microscopic and macroscopic endpoints.;
Humic acid induced the recovery of the inhibited mitotic index and root lengths caused by Cd stress.;
The burdens of nuclear and chromosomal abnormalities were alleviated by humic acid.;
Humic acid plays a protective role against Cd toxicity in the A. cepa test system.;
... To monitor changes in toxicity during bioremediation, bioassays are often recommended to complement chemical analysis of contaminants (Knoke et al., 1999;Abdel Migid et al., 2007). Among the seven plant bioassays reviewed by the US Environmental Protection Agency EPA Gene-Tox program in 1980, the Allium root tip chromosome aberration assay was one of the protocols adopted and standardised by the International Program on Plant Bioassays (IPPB) for monitoring or testing environmental pollutants, which is currently in operation under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program UNEP (Fiskesjö, 1988;Ma, 1999). The test shows excellent correlation with animal tests in vivo which can be extrapolated to humans with reliability (Grant, 1994) and has been used to assess the cytotoxicity of domestic water sources (Olorunfemi et al., 2013;2014a,b). ...
In this study, fungal mycelium was employed for the bioremoval of heavy metals in drinking water samples obtained from boreholes, streams and a pond in six rural communities in Warri North Local Government Area in Delta State. The efficacy of the fungal-based bioremediation technology for toxicity reduction in the contaminated water samples was evaluated using Allium cepa cyto-genotoxicity bioassay in vitro approach before and after treatment with the fungal biofilters. Data obtained from physicochemical analysis after a 24 h myco-filtration treatment of the water samples revealed significant (p < 0.05) reduction/total elimination of heavy metals and microbial load in the samples. Results obtained from the 96 hour macroscopic evaluation of A. cepa showed that, compared to onions grown in untreated samples, there was significant (p < 0.05) reduction in root growth inhibition in onion bulbs cultivated in mycofiltrated samples. Similarly, results obtained from cytological studies by the aceto-orcein squash technique in root tips of A. cepa grown in the contaminated water samples for 48 hours showed significant (p < 0.05) reduction in chromosomal aberrations. These findings indicate that the reduction in genotoxicity established by the Allium bioassay is highly correlated with myco-filtration bioremediation of the contaminated drinking water sources.
... However, plant assays, such as the Allium cepa test, may have some advantages over microbial and mammalian cell tests for environmental monitoring. Plant assays are highly sensitive to many environmental pollutants, including heavy metals (Fiskesjo, 1988), and determination of toxicity as well as evaluation of cytotoxicity and anti-proliferative potential of medicinal plants (Bakare et al., 2013;Pastori et al., 2013). Furthermore, the test plants can be directly exposed to complex mixtures or environmental samples either in the laboratory or in situ (Rank, 2003). ...
The use of industrial effluents and sewage sludge for agriculture has become a common practice in the world and India too. Many harmful metals and substances get transferred and accumulated in plant tissues from the soil, causing many problems and diseases in living organisms. Management of these abnormalities/ diseases with the medicinal plant is an ancient practice that has gained momentum in recent years. Aqueous extract of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) has long been used for the traditional management of cancer due to its antigenotoxic nature. Data on genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of are rather controversial, depending on the genetic system or the assay used. The genotoxicity profile of five different concentrations of slurry water (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%) and the antigenotoxic profile of three concentrations of aqueous extract of tulsi leaves (10%, 20% and 30%) were evaluated with genotoxicity assays by using root tip cells of Allium cepa plant. The parameters evaluated in the cytological assay were several cells in dividing stage, mitotic indices (MI), % mitodepressive (MD) effect, RDR and chromosomal aberrations (CA) on A. cepa roots. A decrease in mitotic index with increasing concentration of slurry water was observed but the reduction was not significant enough to deduce that the slurry water samples caused a decrease in the number of dividing cells. However higher concentrations of slurry water (i.e. 60%, 80% and 100%) were found to have a completely lethal effect as no root germination and growth was observed in onion bulbs treated with these three concentrations of slurry water. The antigenotoxic effect of aqueous extract of tulsi leaves (10%, 20% and 30%), on Allium cepa roots pretreated with 20 % and 40% concentrations of slurry water was also observed. A significant reduction in MI% was noticed with all three concentrations of aqueous extract of tulsi leaves in treated samples. A concentration-dependent increase in the antigenotoxic effect of tulsi extract was observed for an overall reduction in chromosomal abnormalities in both concentrations of slurry water-induced genotoxicity. In the present investigation response of slurry water and antigenotoxic potential of Ocimum sanctum has been evaluated for their cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on Allium cepa. On the basis of our results, we can say that aqueous extract of tulsi has a protective effect on Allium cepa root meristem cells against the genotoxic effects produced by slurry water.
... However, plant assays, such as the Allium cepa test, may have some advantages over microbial and mammalian cell tests for environmental monitoring. Plant assays are highly sensitive to many environmental pollutants, including heavy metals (Fiskesjo, 1988), and determination of toxicity as well as evaluation of cytotoxicity and anti-proliferative potential of medicinal plants (Bakare et al., 2013;Pastori et al., 2013). Furthermore, the test plants can be directly exposed to complex mixtures or environmental samples either in the laboratory or in situ (Rank, 2003). ...
... Kao pokazatelji toksičnosti prate se: 1) makroskopske promjene kao što su rast i oblik korijena te pojava listova na lukovici 2) mikroskopske promjene kao što su mitotska aktivnost (određivanje mitotskog indeksa tj. broj stanica u diobi) te pojava kromosomskih i mitotičkih nepravilnosti (Fiskesjö, 1988 ...
Allium-test je jednostavni biotest za određivanje ukupne toksičnosti i genotoksičnosti kojeg učenici uz pomoć nastavnika ili samostalno mogu provesti u školi te njime testirati učinak različitih otopina na modelni organizam Allium cepa L. (obični luk). Allium-test je dobar primjer projekta u nastavi jer se svojim opsegom može prilagoditi dobi učenika, a potiče njihovu kreativnost i samostalnost u provedbi i prezentiranju samog projekta. Sam projekt i rezultati istog potiču učenike na razvijanje svijesti o vodenom okolišu i učinku onečišćenja na svim njegovim razinama.
... The tests were performed according to Fiskejö [31] using seeds without pesticide treatment of A. cepa cv. Baia Periforme (Isla Sementes Ltd., Porto Alegre, Brazil). ...
The development of new insecticides for vector control that are toxicologically safe and eco-friendly (such as those obtained from industrial by-products) is an important public health concern. Previous research has shown that the obtained tCNSL (technical cashew nutshell liquid) + NatCNSLS (sodium tCNSL sulfonate mixture) emulsion displayed both surfactant properties and larvicidal activity (LC50-24 h 110.6 mg/L). Thus, the emulsion is considered a promising alternative product for the control of Aedes aegypti. The goal of this study was an ecotoxicological evaluation of the tCNSL + NatCNSLS mixture emulsion and its components. In addition, we compared the toxicity of the tCNSL + NatCNSLS mixture emulsion with toxicity data from larvicide currently recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Ecotoxicological tests were performed to assess acute toxicity, phytotoxicity, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and mutagenicity using Daphnia similis, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Oreochromis niloticus, Allium cepa, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Regarding acute toxicity, D. similis was the most sensitive test organism for the three evaluated products, followed by P. subcapitata and O. niloticus. The highest acute toxicity product was tCNSL. The tCNSL + NatCNSLS mixture emulsion did not show cytotoxic, genotoxic, or mutagenic effects, and showed low acute toxicity to D. similis. In addition, the tCNSL + NatCNSLS mixture emulsion presented a lower or similar toxicological classification to the larvicides recommended by the WHO. Therefore, ecotoxicological tests suggest that the tCNSL + NatCNSLS mixture emulsion can be considered a larvicide environmentally safe way to control Ae. aegypti.
... Se siguió la técnica propuesta por Fiskesjö (1985Fiskesjö ( , 1988Fiskesjö ( , 1989 con pequeñas modificaciones. Se acondicionaron los bulbos de cebolla (Allium cepa L.) quitándose las catáfilas externas y raíces viejas cuidando de no dañar la zona meristemática. ...
El objetivo fue evaluar la calidad del agua de arroyos colectores de cuenca de los departamentos Federal, Federación, Feliciano y Diamante, vinculados a las represas para riego de cultivos, en situación de aguas bajas. Se muestrearon 12 ambientes de arroyos incluyendo un inventario de la vegetación. Se tomaron muestras de agua para análisis físico-químico y para la realización de dos tipos de bioensayos: Allium test y germinación de semillas de Lactuca sativa. La longitud radicular e índice de germinación, variables registradas en ambos bioensayos, se analizaron mediante la prueba Dunnet. Los arroyos del centro norte de Entre Ríos presentaron bajos valores de RAS (<10) y conductividad eléctrica (CE) menor a 750 μS cm-1. En los arroyos del departamento Diamante la CE osciló entre 910 y 1170 μS cm-1. La prueba de Allium test fue negativa al igual que el bioensayo de toxicidad en germinación de semillas de lechuga. Los análisis físicoquímicos y los bioensayos indicaron aptitud para el riego y sin toxicidad en las aguas de los arroyos del centro norte de Entre Ríos, mientras que los del departamento Diamante, si bien no presentan toxicidad, no resultarían aptos para el riego de los cultivos en época de estiaje por su alta CE.
... e rings of the root primordia were not being damaged. A series of cleaned small sized bulbs of onions (Allium cepa) were first grown in water as described by Fiskesjö [19]. Onion bulbs were germinated primarily in plastic bottles and glass jar and filled with normal water for 24 hours. ...
Tannery effluent plays a significant role in increasing pollution in the environment; in particular, it contains toxic heavy metals which cause toxic effects on plant genetic materials. Among tannery effluent chemicals, chromium and lead have cytotoxicity and genotoxicity potentials on Allium cepa. is investigation was undertaken to assess the physicochemical properties of tannery wastewater and their effect on the genetic materials of A. cepa. Effluent's physicochemical characteristics were investigated using digital instruments for direct measurement and standard methods of atomic absorption spectrophotometer colorimetric analysis. A series of six onion bulbs were grown in 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% concentrations of wastewater (v/v) ratio, and root tips from each onion bulb were cut and processed for analysis by aceto-orcein squash technique. Most of effluent components were above the discharge limit standards set by Federal Environmental Protection Agency and Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority. e cytotoxicity effect on the root growth showed a significant reduction at high concentration. Simple regression analysis showed that the results of mitotic index were statistically significant (P < 0.05) in different concentrations. A decrease in mitotic index with increasing concentration of the effluent was observed. e effluent had induced chromosomal abnormalities such as laggard, fragmentation, stickiness, bridge, micronucleus, and binucleated and morphologically changed nuclei in A. cepa root cells among others. e results showed that cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and chromosomal aberrations were induced by the tannery effluent. Industries shall think of biological waste treatment methods.
... Hence aberrant metaphase such as cmitosis, vagrant chromosomes, anaphase bridges and fragments or sticky chromosomes may be used to disrupt the activities of the target organism by the macro fungi (Table 3). (34,35,36). Furthermore, stickiness usually leads to the formation of anaphase and telophase bridges, which inhibit metaphase and cytokinesis, during cell division. ...
This study determined the genotoxic effects of Ganoderma lucidium and Pleurotus ostreatus on Allium cepa root tips. Small bulbs of Allium cepa were grown in different concentrations of aqueous extracts of milled Ganoderma lucidium (0.3g/ml, 0.6g/ml, 0.8g/ml, 1.0g/ml) and Pleurotus ostreatus (0.25g/ml, 0.75g/ml, 1.25g/ml, 1.75g/ml). Five root tips from each bulb were harvested after 48 hours and processed for cytological studies using aceto-orcein squash techniques. The average length of root bundles was determined after 96 hours. Treatment with P. ostreatus extracts seemed to inhibit root growth in a concentration-dependent manner while that of G. lucidium did not inhibit root growth. Extract mitotic index (M.I.) was calculated for each extract concentration. The M.I. for Ganoderma lucidium extracts were: 7.1 (0.3g/ml), 5.7 (0.6g/ml), 6.2 (0.8g/ml), and 4.5 (0.1g/ml), whereas M.I. for Pleurotus ostreatus extracts were 6.7 (0.25g/ml), 6.3 (0.75g/ml), 6.0 (1.25g/ml) and 5.4 (1.75g/ml). In the root cells, extracts from both test samples revealed chromosome stickiness, vagrant chromosomes, spindle multipolarity, c-mitosis, and bridged fragments.
... To assess phyto-and cytotoxicity, Allium test was carried out according to the methodology without pre-germinating the bulbs in an adapted version for testing soil samples directly (Ateeq et al. 2002;Fiskesjö 1988;Stolbova et al. 2018). We used size-calibrated (d = 1.5-2 cm) locally available onion bulbs (Allium cepa L., "Stuttgarter Riesen" cv.). ...
Purpose
Lanthanides, including La, Ce, and Nd, as members of the rare-earth elements (REE) group, continue to attract the attention of researchers. Particularly lacking is data on REE toxicity in soil, which may affect specific soil types differently depending on their properties. Toxicity studies on REE-contaminated soil are therefore needed to assess the likely effects of anthropogenic impacts and to set safe content limits. In this study, we assess the potential toxicity of soil samples with a high organic matter content — chernozem — spiked with La, Ce, and Nd.
Methods
The toxicity of soil samples was assessed using the Allium test on three basic indicators — root length of bulbs germinated on the samples, mitotic activity of cells in the apical meristem (mitotic index (MI)), and the frequency of aberrant cells (FAC). Allium cepa L. bulbs were germinated on soil samples with extraneous lanthanide concentrations from 0 (control) to 200 mg/kg.
Results
It was difficult to identify a single pattern for La, Ce, and Nd in their influence on onion root length when a range of concentrations are added to chernozem samples. The significant decrease in MI in the experimental groups of 20 and 100 mg/kg La compared with the control and the significant increase in FAC in the experimental group of 100 and 200 mg/kg Ce compared with the group of 10 mg/kg were shown.
Conclusion
The properties of chernozem can largely limit the potential toxicity of La, Ce, and Nd introduced into soil samples in the form of chlorides. The results of REE toxicity assessment studies allow us to place them in an appropriate row, in which the potential toxicity decreases: Ce > Nd > La.
... After staining, root tips were placed on glass slides and a slight pressure was applied on the cover slip to squash the tip cells over the slide. Prepared slides for each exposure medium were observed under the light microscope at 400x magnification to score mitotic stages, occurrence of micronuclei, and nuclear abnormalities in the interphase cells (Fiskesjo 1985(Fiskesjo , 1988. ...
The pollution of the river by man-made sewage and waste disposal is not only harmful to animals and plants in it but also for animals higher in the food chain including those close to the food chain. Water is the most vital natural substance, as it plays a role in nearly every aspect of human life. Therefore, there is a great need to ensure that the water used by humans should not contain hazardous substances. Water quality is directly linked to biological life. The Nag River flows from the Lava village of north Ambazari Lake and flows into the center of Nagpur city. As a result of rapid and unstoppable development, significant changes have taken place in the water quality of the Nag River. Because the Nag River's water is frequently used for irrigation, it should be tested for cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. Since the rate of cancer and genetic disorders has recently increased in the Nagpur region, the Nag River's water could be a source of carcinogens in the food chain, affecting the population. This study was conducted to analyze the impact of water collected from various points of the Nag River using Allium cepa as a model organism. The results of this study showed that all water samples from the Nag River cause a cytotoxic effect (20-23%) and genotoxic effects (23-28%) in Allium cepa cells. Therefore, before the use of Nag River water, it must be treated to diminish its harmful effect.
... Plants have been the material of choice to study the cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of metals and can provide a good system for studies related to environmental monitoring (Fiskesjo, 1988). The effects of Cd at different concentrations (0.5-20 PPm) on root growth, cell division and chromosomal morphology of Hordeum vulgar were studied by Zhang and Yang, (1994) and found that the rate of root growth and mitotic index decreased progressively with increasing cadmium andcaused mitotic irregularities comprising c-mitosis, anaphase bridges, breaks stickiness, lagging and vagrant chromosomes and micronuclei. ...
... Metaphase chromosomal abnormalities, which are detected in the A. cepa test procedure, are not excluded from occurring in human chromosomes when exposed to similar agents. There is a large number of worldwide scientific reports for an excellent correlation of this plant system with the mammalian system (Fiskesjo, 1988). For monitoring or testing of environmental pollutants, the A. cepa test has been adopted by the International Plant Biological Processes Program (Ma, 1999). ...
... It is easier and more sensitive to perform genotoxicity with a plant bioassay because it is an efficient and costeffective test system. High plants may be exposed to environmental pollutants directly in laboratories [7] or in situ [8][9]. Allium cepa L. (A. cepa) is used frequently to evaluate the potential of genotoxicity in pesticides, food additives, or other chemicals [10][11][12][13]. ...
In this study, the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of Reactive Blue 19 and Reactive Black 5 were investigated using the Allium test and comet assay. These chemicals are fabric dyes used in textile industries in various parts of Turkey. Bulbs with roots of Allium cepa L. were treated with different concentrations (25, 50 and 100 ppm) of these textile dyes for 24 h. and 48 h. The root tips were processed for cytological studies by the aseto-orcein squash procedure. Distilled water and methyl methane sulfonate (MMS, 10 ppm) were used as an negative and positive control, respectively. Exposure of Reactive Blue 19 and Reactive Black 5 significantly decreased mitotic index values. Additionally, all treatments changed the frequency of mitotic phases when compared with the control groups. These dyes increased chromosome aberrations in test material. Among these abnormalities were anaphase bridges, c-mitosis, laggards, micronuclei and stickiness. A significant increase in DNA damage was also observed at all concentrations of both Reactive Blue 19 and Reactive Black 5 examined by comet assay.
A obesidade é um problema de saúde global, e muitas pessoas buscam plantas medicinais como alternativa para perda de peso, devido aos efeitos colaterais dos medicamentos tradicionais. No entanto, o uso irracional dessas plantas pode apresentar riscos, pois algumas podem apresentar substâncias tóxicas. Este estudo avaliou os efeitos de plantas medicinais na mutagenicidade, anti- mutagenicidade e proliferação celular. A pesquisa foi experimental e qualitativa, utilizando plantas populares no mercado de emagrecimento, como hibisco, chá verde, gengibre, entre outras. Espera-se identificar a existência de efeitos alelopáticos através da metodologia Allium cepa para avaliar o potencial genotóxico das infusões, analisando células meristemáticas de cebolas tratadas com infusões medicinais (chás). Foram realizados testes de qualidade e análises fitoquímicas para identificar metabólitos emagrecedores. Os resultados mostraram que devido a quantidade e distribuição de anormalidades, as infusões possuem toxicidade sobre as células, sugerindo a importância dos testes para avaliar os efeitos dos extratos de plantas medicinais.
Background. Environmental contamination with radioactive materials of geogenic and anthropogenic origin is a global problem. A variety of mutagenicity test procedures has been developed which enable the detection of DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation. In the present study, we investigated the Allium test (the widely used plant-based genotoxicity bioassay) for the detection of genetic damage caused y-radiation. Received data indicate that this method is can be used for environmental biomonitoring. Aim of the present study was the investigation of y-radiation of the Allium test assay. Materials and methods. The bulbs of the Stuttgarter Riesen onion (Allium cepa L., 2n = 16) were kept in a cool dark place (+4–5 °C). For each sample and control were taken 3 bulbs. Distilled water was used as a control. Y - irradiation of the bulbs was carried out with the Eu152 for 3 days in doses of 0.3, 1 and 3 Gy. After 3 days, the roots were cut and fixed in Clark’s and to be placed in sealable test-tubes for long-time storing in 80% ethanol. The roots were simultaneously hydrolyzed and colored in ceramic crucibles in acetoorcein solution were boiled in the flame of an alcohol lamp. The slides prepared from squashing the root meristems with one drop of 45% acetic acid. The number of dividing cells was determined in 1000 examined cells in the field of view, with phase and chromosome aberration. Results. The appearance of giant cells, C-mitoses, nuclear buds, fragments, lagging and bridges, disturbances in the work of the fission spindle and micronuclei in irradiation at doses of 3 and 1 Gy were noted. Conclusion. As a result of the study, it was shown that y - irradiation of the onion test object (Allium cepa L.) with doses of 3, 1 and 0.3 Gy led to the appearance of cytogenetic disorders, the proportion of which significantly differed from the control.
This broad area of research encompasses both the built environment and the natural environment, as well as their interactions. Environmental studies look at how people and the environment interact. Environmental studies examine transdisciplinary environmental concerns from a social, legal, managerial, and scientific perspective. Environmental issues, management, and policy are among the subjects examined in environmental studies. There is a need for strategies to lessen negative effects and encourage more sustainable activities due to the impact that humans have on their physical environment. To better comprehend the causes of environmental issues, students investigate the links between science and sociology. Ecology comes in various forms, including those related to biology, sustainability, oceanography, and marine biology. A career in environmental research can be extremely rewarding. You'll not only be employed in a sector that positively impacts the entire globe, but you'll also have the opportunity to make a good living. But you need the right education to enjoy this wonderful career. Environmental studies teach us how important our environment is, as well as how to manage natural resources more wisely and live sustainably. Understanding how organisms behave in their natural environments and how they interact with one another in populations and communities is beneficial. Although the terms "ecology" and "environmental science" are frequently used interchangeably in everyday speech, technically, ecology only refers to the study of organisms and their interactions with one another and with their surroundings. Critical environmental resource preservation and protection, as well as the preservation of priceless natural and human-made heritage, are vital for the wellbeing of society and the provision of livelihoods. COPRAS (Complex Proportional Evaluation is proposed to evaluate the possible maintenance strategy. Linguistic terms are used to evaluate the ratings and weights. The rankings of the alternatives are Keywords: Passive sampling in studies of gaseous mediums, Passive sampling of analytes a form a liquid medium, Passive sampling in sediment and soil, COPRAS Method.
Günümüzde pestisitler tarımsal faaliyetlerde oldukça yaygın olarak kullanılmakta ve yoğun ve gelişigüzel kullanılmaları, pestisitlerin halk sağlığını ve ekosistemi tehdit etmesine neden olmaktadır. Birçok çevresel kirleticide olduğu gibi pestisitlerin de sitotoksik ve genotoksik etkileri yıllardır bir endişe kaynağıdır. Bu çalışmada sentetik bir piretroid olan tau-fluvalinat içerikli bir insektisitin (Mavrik® 2F) Allium cepa kök ucu meristemleri üzerindeki sitotoksik ve genotoksik etkileri incelenmiştir. Kök büyüme inhibisyon testi sonucunda tau-fluvalinat için etkili konsantrasyon (EC50) 330 mg/L olarak bulunmuştur. Sonrasında soğan kökleri 24 saat boyunca 3 farklı tau-fluvalinat konsantrasyonuna (165, 330 ve 660 mg/L) maruz bırakılmış ve yapılan mikroskobik incelemeler ile mitotik indeks (Mİ), faz indeksi (Fİ) değerleri ve kromozom aberasyon (KA) sıklıkları hesaplanmıştır. Yapılan istatistiksel analizler neticesinde, tau-fluvalinat içerikli model insektisitin A. cepa’da kök uzamasını inhibe edici etki gösterdiği sonucunun yanı sıra, Mİ değerini azalttığı ve Fİ değerlerini değiştirdiği için sitotoksisiteye ve KA oluşumunu artırdığı için genotoksisiteye sahip olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır. Ayrıca model insektisitin kullanılması durumunda, A. cepa üzerinde 330 mg/L tau-fluvalinat konsantrasyonunun subletal etkilere, 660 mg/L tau-fluvalinat konsantrasyonunun ise letal etkilere neden olabileceği değerlendirilmiştir. Bu çalışmanın sonuçları ışığında tau-fluvalinat içeren pestisitlerin tarımsal faaliyetlerde kullanımı esnasında çok dikkatli olunması ve toksik etkilerinin azaltılması için 165 mg/L’nin çok daha altında konsantrasyonlarının uygulanması önerilmektedir.
The present work studied the physicochemical properties, i.e., solubility and partition coefficient and toxicity level of eight corrosion inhibitors (CIs), including two commercial CIs and six synthesized CIs by green chemistry as an ecological alternative to commercial CIs. The six environmentally friendly CIs were synthesized considering the basic principles of green chemistry, under ambient temperature and pressure conditions and in the absence of solvents, with a mass reaction efficiency greater than 80% and without the generation of residues. The chemical structure of the CI, the temperature, and the solvent are factors that determine CI solubility; most CIs exhibit greater solubility in polar media, such as isopropanol: saline solution mixture. The partition coefficient in the aqueous phase: organic phase and mixtures with different volumetric proportions were higher for the environmentally friendly CI in an 80:20 vol% mixture. The partition coefficients of the green inhibitors increased with increasing size of the hydrocarbon chain and with increasing number of zwitterionic groups, obtaining the following order: CI-R18/2 CI-R16/2 CI-R12/2 CI-R18 CI-R16 CI-R12. The 50% effective concentration (EC50), based on stimulation of root growth of Allium cepa, was lowest for CI-IMPG2 and CI-R16-2. The CIs with the lowest % MI were CI-R16/2 and CI-IMPG2, showing less cytotoxic damage, and those with the highest % MI were CI-R12 and CI-PG12A, showing greater cytotoxic damage.
Pig farming is recognized as an activity with great polluting potential. The aim was to investigate possible environmental risks of effluents from the stabilization pond (SP) and the raw effluent (RE) from the biodigestion process of swine residues, in different concentrations in the models Lactuca sativa and Allium cepa. Seeds were germinated in different dilutions, 100% (C1), 50% (C2), 25% (C3), 12.5% (C4), 6.25% (C5), 3.12% (C6), 0.78% (C7), and 0.39% (C8). Distilled water was used as the negative control (CN) and trifluralin (0.84 g/L⁻¹) as the positive control. Germination (GR), root growth (RG), cell cycle, and oxidative stress (OS) were analyzed. To assess OS, the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) and the quantification of glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were analyzed. Data were submitted to ANOVA (one way), followed by the Kruskal-Wallis mean test (P ≤ 0.05). Chemical analysis showed high values of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn. Dilutions (C1, C2, C3 RE) and (C1 and C2 SP) inhibited GR and RG of L. sativa and A. cepa than other concentrations. The mitotic index showed a reduction in C5 (RE), C6, and C7 (SP) of L. sativa and C3 and C4 (SP) of A. cepa in relation to CN and higher frequencies of chromosomal alterations. Regarding the OS, only the concentrations of SP treatment showed statistical difference in relation to the NC: in L. sativa model, GSH at (C5 and C8) concentrations and LPO (C7); in A. cepa model, SOD (C3 and C4), GST (C4, C5 and C6), GSH (C5 and C8), and CAT (C3 and C7). The alterations in metabolism are possibly related to the metals, such as zinc and copper, observed in high amounts in the raw waste. The results allowed us to conclude that the raw and stabilization pond effluents offer environmental risks, requiring caution and monitoring in the use of these effluents.
and S trio individually had fatal impacts on daphnids, with mortality rates of 100, 75, and 95%, respectively, after 48 h. Sulfamethoxazole showed a mutagenic tendency, with a mutation ratio (background/sample ratio) of 2.0. Lamivudine showed a lethal impact on the root length of A. cepa (p > 0.05, p = 3.60E-3). Further microscopic examination of the A. cepa root tip revealed chromosomal aberrations on exposure to each compound. The LCS-mix ecotoxicology bioas-says indicated a synergistic effect on the daphnids, probably due to potentiation. Although the LCS mix had a cytotoxic effect (evidenced by the absence of bacteria colonies) on exposed TA 98 P450 Salmonella typhimurium strain, this effect was not observed in other bacterial strains. Microscopic examination of A. cepa exposed to the LCS-mix revealed an aberration in the mitotic stage of the cell. The impact of combination of the pharmaceuticals in aqueous ecosystems was greater than when exposed to the tested individual pharmaceutical compounds. Study result showed that these compounds have tendencies to pose a higher risk to exposed living entities when in combined/potentiated forms, and this could lead to distortion of the regular functioning of the ecosystem, particularly bacterial and other microbial populations that are listed among primary producers of the aquatic food web. Abstract Environmental effects of active pharmaceutical compounds (APCs) in the environment are not well characterized, hence the need for comprehensive evaluation. This study employed three bioassays using three organisms, namely, Allium cepa, Daphnia magna, and Salmonella typhimurium, in the ecotox-icity study of lone and a mixture of selected APCs, namely, lamivudine (L), an antiretroviral, and cipro-floxacin (C) and sulfamethoxazole (S), antibiotics, at a concentration range between 10 and 100 ppb, in order to evaluate the potential of the lone and ternary mixture to exert synergistic toxicity. Study results from exposure to lone APCs showed that the L, C, Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at https:// doi.
Induced mutagenesis is now an established method for crop improvement. Mutation techniques by using ionizing radiations and other mutagens have successfully produced quite a large number of new promising varieties in different plant species. Since beginning there are step by step improvement in technical procedure for application of induced mutation for crop improvement and voluminous knowledge have developed for successful and accurate application of the technique. The chapter highlights a bird’s eye view of the prospects, procedures, possibilities and problems of mutation breeding. There are huge publications by many workers highlighting their success and failure on induced mutagenesis. Attempt has been made to highlight different important basic aspects which may be helpful as guideline for large scale mutagenesis work on any ornamental crop. Author tried to put together all available information on mutagens and dose to develop a complete documentation of the results of the research conducted by different scientists over the last about 80 years.
Heavy metals in soils represent a threat to the environment, food safety, as well as human and animal health. The bioaccumulation of these elements in plants might enhance medium- and long-term adverse health risk promoting genetic alterations that lead to dermal, gastrointestinal, circulatory, renal, and brain disorders. The present study aimed to determine the bioaccumulation potential and cytogenotoxic effect of Equisetum hyemale extracts. E. hyemale seedlings were divided into two groups: exposed group (plants cultivated in soil with heavy metals solution) and control (plants cultivated in soil with distilled water). Heavy metals were quantified in the cultivation soils (control and exposed) and extracts (ethanolic and infusion) of vegetative parts from E. hyemale cultivated in both soils. Root length and cytogenotoxic effect were determined utilizing Allium cepa bioassay. Data demonstrated that Equisetum hyemale present the ability to absorb and bioaccumulate different heavy metals including lead, copper, cobalt manganese, zinc, iron and chromium. Given this property E. hyemale may be considered a reliable bioindicator to assess cytogenotoxicity of certain substances that exert adverse risks to environment and human and animal health.
The pollution of aquatic ecosystems due to the elevated concentration of a variety of contaminants, such as metal ions, poses a threat to humankind, as these ecosystems are in high relevance with human activities and survivability. The exposure in heavy metal ions is responsible for many severe chronic and pathogenic diseases and some types of cancer as well. Metal ions of the groups 11 (Cu, Ag, Au), 12 (Zn, Cd, Hg), 14 (Sn, Pb) and 15 (Sb, Bi) highly interfere with proteins leading to DNA damage and oxidative stress. While, the detection of these contaminants is mainly based on physicochemical analysis, the chemical determination, however, is deemed ineffective in some cases because of their complex nature. The development of biological models for the evaluation of the presence of metal ions is an attractive solution, which provides more insights regarding their effects. The present work critically reviews the reports published regarding the toxicity assessment of heavy metal ions through Allium cepa and Artemia salina assays. The in vivo toxicity of the agents is not only dose depended, but it is also strongly affected by their ligand type. However, there is no comprehensive study which compares the biological effect of chemical agents against Allium cepa and Artemia salina . Reports that include metal ions and complexes interaction with either Allium cepa or Artemia salina bio-indicators are included in the review.
Graphical abstract
The comet (single-cell gel electrophoresis) is a useful method for providing a source of information about the genotoxic potential of pollutants. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of different concentrations of ammonium sulfate (AS) and diammonium phosphate (DAP) on root growth of Allium cepa and to detect the genotoxic potencies of these fertilizers on root cells. Our results show that both AS and DAP enhance root growth at the concentration of 640 ppm but cause significant decreases in root length and weight at higher concentrations (1280, 1920, and 2560 ppm). In addition, exposure to AS and DAP at 1280 and 2560 ppm for 48 h gave rise to a significant increase in DNA damage in Allium cepa root cells. It was found that DAP exerted a stronger genotoxic effect than AS, especially at 2560 ppm. Taken together, our findings suggest that high application rates of chemical fertilizers in agricultural systems not only inhibit plant growth but also can increase DNA damage in plants.
Soil health relates directly to plant and human health. Soil pollution is mainly caused by the presence of excessive quantities of essential and/or other toxic elements/chemicals, either by natural or by anthropogenic activities. A common practice in water-stressed regions since early times is irrigation of crops with untreated wastewater. The production of huge volumes and nutrients availability like phosphorus and nitrogen are the other two reasons to use untreated wastewater for irrigation purposes. Furthermore, other factors that force farmers in developing countries to irrigate agricultural lands through untreated wastewater includes climate change, urbanization, shortage of freshwater, food scarcity, and low literacy, which in turn pose a risk to soil and environmental health as well as contribute to impaired soil functions. The presence of organic (dyes, heavy metals) and biological contaminants (pathogenic microorganism and parasites) poses health threats to human health and environment. This chapter provides an overview of the wastewater irrigation of food crops and the pollution resulting from acute and chronic health hazards. This chapter also focuses on major health risk inducements in plants and human health, with an emphasis on genetic variations in plants when exposed to heavy metals.
GENOTOXIC EFFECT OF ARIOPSIS PELTATA VAR. RHIZOME
METHANOL EXTRACT USING ALLIUM CEPA ASSAY.
Uncovered mine tailings may result in environmental stresses such as severe acidification and heavy metal discharge to adjacent watercourses. These problems originate in metal sulfide oxidation, which results in acidic metal-rich leachate, known as acid mine drainage (AMD) that persists over time. Sulfides in mine tailings can persist for centuries. Thus, accelerating the sulfur oxidation process can help mitigate this problem. In this study, the use of ozone and hydrogen peroxide to increase the leaching of coal mine tailings was investigated in detail. One of the biggest challenges when using oxidizers is determining the acting plume. To this end, the decomposition kinetics of oxidants were studied when contacting mine tailings. Additionally, a mathematical model was developed to predict the subsurface propagation of the oxidizers used. In the group where ozone was applied, there was a 62% reduction in sulfur content, while the corresponding reduction in the control group was only 18%. The results indicated that ozone and hydrogen peroxide increased metal leaching, and decreased ecotoxicity compared to a control group. The kinetic rates were dependent on the saturation of coal mine tailings. Furthermore, the spread model contributed to oxidation plume determination. For ozone, it was observed that for a kinetic rate of -0.2669∙CO30.7899 mol·m⁻³·s⁻¹, a 60% increase in pressure causes the ozone plume to increase the effective transport distance by 30%. This paper presents an innovative strategy for mitigating AMD.
As malformações uterinas e/ou anomalias congênitas são achados pouco comuns e constituem um grande desafio à clínica ginecológica, relacionado ao fato de que a maioria não é diagnosticada antes de uma gestação por serem assintomáticas ou por serem apenas diagnosticadas após a manifestação de complicações obstétricas ou infertilidade. As malformações podem estar associadas ao abortamento de repetição, apresentações fetais anômalas, posição fetal pélvica, infertilidade, parto prematuro e gestações complicadas por trabalho de parto prematuro. O termo prematuridade ou pré-termo resulta quando a gestação é interrompida com um nascido vivo antes de completar a 37ª semana, ou com peso igual ou inferior a 2.500 gramas. Está relacionado à complicação como mortalidade infantil e neonatal. Neste contexto, o objetivo do presente estudo foi descrever um relato de caso de útero bicórneo associado a duas gestações com parto prematuro, onde, na primeira gestação, a paciente apresentou histórico de tratamento para engravidar. Gestação 1: A gestação correu dentro dos trâmites adequados, com ganho de peso considerado normal, porém, com queixas de dores por volta de 30 semanas resultando em prematuridade, como consequência. O parto cesariana ocorreu com 34 semanas sem intercorrências e o recém-nascido ficou na Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo Neonatal (UTIN). Gestação 2: paciente apresentava ganho de peso de 20 quilos em relação a gestação anterior, porém, com ganho de peso adequado durante a gravidez. Todo acompanhamento de pré-natal foi realizado dentro da normalidade, com histórico de perda de líquido amniótico cerca de 8 dias antes do parto, resultando em parto cesariana prematuro com 33 semanas. O recém-nascido ficou internado na UTIN. Conclusão: O diagnóstico precoce é a melhor forma de prevenir intercorrências durante a gestação. Quando se trata de malformações uterinas, o diagnóstico precoce evita muitos transtornos durante o período fértil da mulher. No presente estudo, mesmo com toda a assistência disponibilizada e ofertada as gestações evoluíram para um parto pré-maturo.
Strong evidence indicates that environmental mutagens play a significant part in causing cancers and birth defects. The development of gene mutation tests as well as cytogenetic assays contributes a great deal to cancer prevention through (1) identifying potential man-made and natural chemicals to which humans are exposed, and (2) premarket screening of new chemicals to which humans will be exposed. These tests provide preliminary estimates of health hazards posed by environmental agents. Cytogenetic assays are also useful in determining genetic factors, such as genetic instability involved in carcinogenesis, which Cherry discusses in the next article. Therefore, they provide us with a better understanding of the contribution of both environmental and genetic factors to carcinogenesis.
The studies discussed and the data presented in this article indicate that plants can activate promutagenic chemicals into mutagens. Also, some chemical mutagens can be deactivated by plant tissues. The data suggest that a class of plant promutagens distinct from mammalian promutagens may exist. The activation of agricultural chemicals into mutagens poses possible risks to the public health, and this problem must be studied further. Plants are excellent in situ monitors for mutagens and promutagens. The life cycles of many species allow their use in chronic assays of the environment for periods of weeks to months. We believe that the use of plant genetic assays will continue to make a contribution to the understanding of the presence and fate of environmental mutagens.
A modification of the C banding method yielded intercalary bands in certain chromosome pairs of Allium fistulosum and Allium cepa. One member of each pair of these identifiable chromosomes was present in the vegetatively propagated garden from Allium proliferum, indicating that A. proliferum represents a spontaneous hybrid between A. fistulosum and A. cepa. The chromosomes of this hybrid are compared with the chromosomes of the known hybrid artificially produced between the same two Allium species. Storage times of the slides, necessary for the appearance of the different types of bands are discussed.
One of the oldest, simplest and least expensive methods for studying the induction of chromosomal aberrations utilizes plant root tips as experimental material. The merits of this material were already realized by radiobiologists in the 1930's. The root tip technique is particularly well suited for the study of chemically induced aberrations. However, the method is no exception to the rule that reliable and valuable results can only be obtained when the experiments are correctly and carefully carried out. This requires a good knowledge of the material and its reactions towards different types of treatment.
Acidification of natural waters and soils leads to the release of aluminium, causing damage to living organisms. In the present experiments, growing roots of Allium cepa L. were exposed to water solution of AICl3 in concentrations from 10-5 to 10-1M. After a few days in concentrations around 10-3M. the roots showed macroscopical signs of being affected; they became bent and their terminal portions tended to loosen and drop off. Microscopically, the affected zone of the roots revealed a new cellular phenomenon: Nucleolar material was extruded from the nuclei into the cytoplasm forming elongated, rod-like bodies, which eventually divided into two, one distinct body at each pole of the cell. The derivation of these bodies from the nucleoli was further strengthened by the observation that they absorbed light green differentially Apparently, aluminium has a specific effect on the nucleoli of certain root cells.
The study quantifies the amount of metals (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cr, V, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) leached from the A-horizon of a podzolic spruce forest soil in southern Sweden during 2.5 yr, and offers statistical evidence of environmental conditions of importance to metal release. Considerable losses of Pb, Cr, Ni and V may occur from the A-horizon of forest soils under conditions favoring leaching of organic matter, Fe, and Al, i.e. during periods of comparably high soil temperature and moisture. Metals with a larger fraction present in exchangeable form (Na, Mg, Ca, Zn, Cd) are more susceptible to minor pH changes. An accelerated deposition or internal production of acidic matter therefore will reduce the retention times of these elements particularly.
The fluxes of metals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Al, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni) in two spruce forest soils in S. Sweden were quantified using the lysimeter technique. Amounts in precipitation (dry and wet), throughfall, litterfall and annual accumulation in biomass were also quantified, as well as stores in soil and biomass. The metal concentrations of the soil solutions varied greatly according to season. The leaching of some metals (Fe, Cu, Pb, Cr, and organic forms of Al) was associated with the leaching of organic matter. These complexes were leached from the A horizon in considerable amounts. They were precipitated in the upper B horizon and only small amounts were transported further downward. By contrast, the leaching of Na, Mg, Ca, Mn, Cd, Zn, Ni, and inorganic forms of Al increased with increasing soil depth. The concentrations of these metals also increased with increasing soil solution acidity. The highest concentrations were often found at the transition to the C horizon. The amounts of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Mn, Al, Zn, Cd, Cr, and Ni leached from the rooting zone were found to be larger than the amounts deposited from the atmosphere, the main source of these metals being the mineral soil. The reverse was true of Ph, Cu, and Fe, the sink being the upper part of the B horizon.
This paper is a review of recent studies that demonstrate the activation of chemicals (especially pesticides into mutagens by green plants. Such activation of pesticides may be hazardous to the public health because of their widespread use in agriculture and the current lack of information that exists about such processes. The mutagenic properties of the s-triazine herbicides (atrazine, simazine, and cyanazine) as exhibited in various assay systems are discussed. In vivo, in vitro, and in situ plant assays are presented, and the maize wx locus assay is discussed.
The potential of higher plants as a first-tier assay system for detecting chemical mutagens is evaluated. The use of plant tissue (primarily root tips and pollen mother cells) for studying the induction of chromosomal aberrations is one of the oldest, simplest, most reliable, and inexpensive methods available. Specific types of abnormalities have been induced by different classes of pesticides. Chromosome clumping, contraction, stickiness, paling, fragmentation, dissolution, chromosome and chromatid bridges, C-mitosis, and endoploidy have been reported in the literature. Examples of cytogenetic studies with pesticides demonstrating the usefulness of higher plants as a monitoring system are reviewed. Pesticides which cause chromosome aberrations in plant cells also produce chromosome aberrations in cultured animal cells. Frequently, the aberrations are identical. For example, studies have shown that compounds which have a C-mitotic effect on plant cells have the same effect on animal cells. It is recommended that plant systems be accepted as a first-tier assay system for the detection of possible genetic damage by environmental chemicals.
Plants have too long been ignored as useful screening and monitoring systems of environmental mutagens. However, there are about a dozen reliable, some even unique, plant genetic systems that can increase the scope and effectiveness of chemical and physical mutagen screening and monitoring procedures. Some of these should be included in the Tier II tests. Moreover, plants are the only systems now in use as monitors of genetic effects caused by polluted atmosphere and water and by pesticides.
There are several major advantages of the plant test systems which relate to their reproductive nature, easy culture and growth habits that should be considered in mutagen screening and monitoring. In addition to these advantages, the major plant test systems exhibit numerous genetic and chromosome changes for determining the effects of mutagens. Some of these have not yet been detected in other nonmammalian and mammalian test systems, but probably occur in the human organism.
Plants have played major roles in various aspects of mutagenesis research, primarily in mutagen screening (detection and verification of mutagenic activity), mutagen monitoring, and determining mutagen effects and mechanisms of mutagen action. They have played lesser roles in quantification of mutagenic activity and understanding the nature of induced mutations.
Mutagen monitoring with plants, especially in situ on land or in water, will help determine potential genetic hazards of air and water pollutants and protect the genetic purity of crop plants and the purity of the food supply. The Tradescantia stamen-hair system is used in a mobile laboratory for determining the genetic effects of industrial and automobile pollution in a number of sites in the U.S.A. The fern is employed for monitoring genetic effects of water pollution in the Eastern states. The maize pollen system and certain weeds have monitored genetic effects of pesticides. Several other systems that have considerable value and should be developed and more widely used in mutagen monitoring and screening, especially for in situ monitoring, are discussed. Emphasis is placed on pollen systems in which changes in pollen structure, chemistry, and chromosomes can be scored for monitoring; and screening systems which can record low levels of genetic effects as well as provide information on the nature of induced mutations.
The value of plant systems for monitoring and screening mutagens can be improved by: greater knowledge of plant cell processes at the molecular and ultrastructural levels; relating these processes to mutagen effects and plant cell responses; improving current systems for increased sensitivity, ease of detecting genetic and chromosome changes, recording of data (including automation), and for extending the range of genetic and chromosome end points; and designing and developing new systems with the aid of previous and current botanical and genetic knowledge.
Pesticide chemicals are an important component of modern agriculture. Through their use, plants and animals are exposed to pesticides directly and indirectly from transport through soil, water, and other environmental components. Pesticide chemicals which are absorbed by plants and animals undergo extensive biotransformation. Lipophilic compounds are converted to polar metabolites through a variety of microsomal and extramicrosomal reactions in plants and animals. Generally, biotransformations are qualitatively similar in both systems. However, there are important quantitative rate differences in metabolism which often determine the balance between activation and deactivation of a pesticide. Furthermore, there are qualitative differences in conjugative mechanisms in plants and animals. Animals through an efficient excretory system eliminate transformation products via the urine and feces. Since efficient excretory systems are absent in plants, terminal degradation products are stored as conjugates and/or derivatives which may be incorporated into the plants themselves. Metabolic transformations of selected pesticides illustrating various types of reactions in plants and animals are discussed.
Organic mercury has been an environmental problem for many years. In spite of the high toxicity of organic mercury compounds and their accumulation ability in living organisms, the spreading in the environment has been steadily increased by human activities.
In this study, the two organic mercuries, methyl mercury cloride (MMC) and methoxyethyl mercury cloride (MO), have been tested for mutagenicity in mammalian cells by use of the Chinese hamster cell line V 79-4 with two genetic markers: the locus azafor nucleic acid synthesis and the locus ouaconcerning the cell membrane. High toxic effects were obtained by MMC and by MO, beside a certain low mutagenicity in both of the tested loci; MO being slightly more mutagenic than MMC.
The very narrow dose response curves were found to lie close to the threshold values for toxicity.
Since the two tested mercury compounds had lower threshold values in the mutagenicitytests with V 79 cells than in toxicity tests with four different materials (Allium.human lymphocytes, E. coliK39 (ks) and V 79 cells), the mutagenicity test may generally be the more sensitive tool to evaluate biological effects of chemical compounds.
Based on a good correlation between carcinogenicity and mutagenic activity several rapid microbial bioassays for chemical carcinogens have been recently developed. We would like to suggest, that these microbial tests should be followed by bioassays using cultured human cells of the "average" man, and of persons with elevated cancer risk or increased susceptibility to carcinogenic agents. The main objective of using DNA repair (unscheduled uptake of 3HTdR) and DNA fragmentation (shift in sedimentation profiles) of cultured human cells was to design a test system that can simulate conditions found in man and thus provide information relevant to the human population. A trial on 98 different carcinogens, precarcinogens and noncarcinogens showed the suitability of DNA repair synthesis as a rapid, economic and relevant assay for detection of chemical carcinogens. To check the adaptability of DNA repair synthesis of human cells as a bioassay for chemical carcinogens we examined carcinogenic nitrosation products which are formed from the interaction of nitrite and nitrosatable compounds, carcinogenic or mutagenic photosensitizing chemicals, and the effect of complex interactions. Organotropic carcinogens can be detected by measuring DNA fragmentation and DNA repair in various target organs following the in vivo application of chemical carcinogens. The pros and cons of several bioassays and their usefulness in judging a carcinogenic or mutagenic hazard to human populations is discussed.
The Allium test is suggested as a standard in environmental monitoring, e. g. as a part of a test battery. Background, the method including suggested parameters for standard use, results from various application areas and comparisons with a number of other test systems are presented. The Allium test is a short-term test with many advantages: low cost, ease to handle, good chromosome conditions for the study of chromosome damage or disturbance of cell division including the evaluation of risks of aneuploidy. The ability of the root cells to activate promutagens (the MFO-system) further widens the application areas of the Allium test. The use of series of onions for each concentration of the test chemical allows statistical considerations, and from growth curves Effect-Concentration values are obtained. The Allium test is, lastly, a sensitive test showing good correlation to other test systems. Thus, positive results in the Allium test should be considered as a warning and also an indication that the tested chemical may be a risk to human health and to our environment.
Agricultural genetic toxicology is typical of the challenging problems now being encountered in the rapidly growing field of environmental mutagenesis. Both fields involve a rich diversity of important chemicals, some already known mutagens, a few known carcinogens; both have some hints of human toxicity, but by and large no concrete human data; and both are floundering in the scientific and legal definition of human risk, as well as in regulatory confusion over when and to what degree to control.
The common onion (Allium cepa) is an excellent plant for the assay of chromosome aberrations after chemical treatment. Other species of allium (A. cepa var. proliferum, A. carinatum, A. fistulosum and A. sativum) have also been used but to a much lesser extent. Protocols have been given for using root tips from either bulbs or seeds of Allium cepa to study the cytological end-points, such as chromosome breaks and exchanges, which follow the testing of chemicals in somatic cells. It is considered that both mitotic and meiotic end-points should be used to a greater extent in assaying the cytogenetic effects of a chemical. From a literature survey, 148 chemicals are tabulated that have been assayed in 164 Allium tests for the clastogenic effect. Of the 164 assays which have been carried out, 75 are reported as giving a positive reaction (i.e., causing chromosome aberrations), 49 positive and with a dose response, 1 positive and temperature-related, 9 borderline positive, and 30 negative; 76% of the chemicals gave a definite positive response. It is proposed that the Allium test be included among those tests routinely used for assessing chromosomal damage induced by chemicals.
Excerpt
Introduction
During recent years great interest has been directed to the experimental induction of changes in chromosomes and genes. The discovery in 1937 of the action of colchicine on the mitotic mechanism started an intensive study of the so-called c-mitotic reactions involving the destruction of the spindle apparatus. During the war it was demonstrated that chemicals induce gene changes. This put the study of chemical mutagenesis in the foreground. Distinctions were made, such as that between “spindle poisons” and “chromosome poisons” for signifying substances which cause changes mainly in the spindle or mainly in the chromosomes, respectively.
Through the opening up of this important field of research there originated a strong need of suitable genetical and cytological tests for the study of the effects of various chemicals. It was soon realized that it would be highly desirable to have testing methods with which to compare the results from different experimental...
Aluminium toxicity to Allium cepa L. grown in different soil waters and de-termination of the toxic AI fraction Soil solution chemistry and metal budgets of spruce forest ecosystems in S. Sweden
- Occasionally
Occasionally, other parameters may be added, as multipolar anaphases (weak c-mitotic effect, found References Berggren, D., and G. Fiskesji5 (1987) Aluminium toxicity to Allium cepa L. grown in different soil waters and de-termination of the toxic AI fraction, Environ. Toxicol. Chem., 6, in press. Bergkvist, B. (1987) Soil solution chemistry and metal budgets of spruce forest ecosystems in S. Sweden, Water Air Soil Pollut., 33, 131-154.
Levan and U.v. Wettstein (1948) Radiophosphorus, seedling lethality and chro-mosome disturbances
- L , Ehrenberg
- ~ Gustafsson
Ehrenberg, L.,,~. Gustafsson, A. Levan and U.v. Wettstein (1948) Radiophosphorus, seedling lethality and chro-mosome disturbances, Hereditas, 35, 469-489.
Evaluation of short-term tests for toxicity and mutagenicity with special reference to mercury and selenium
- G Fiskesjis
FiskesjiS, G. (1982) Evaluation of short-term tests for toxicity and mutagenicity with special reference to mercury and selenium, Ph.D.-thesis, Inst. of Genetics, Univ. of Lund, Sweden.
Vouk (Eds.) (1985) Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, Vols. I and II
- L Friberg
- G F Nordberg
Friberg, L., G.F. Nordberg and V.B. Vouk (Eds.) (1985) Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, Vols. I and II, Elsevier, New York.
Characteristische Meristemsch~iden in Fichtenwurzeln durch niedrigen pH-Wert und Aluminium-Ionen, Allg. Forstz
- B Metzler
- F Oberwinkler
Metzler, B. v., and F. Oberwinkler (1986) Characteristische Meristemsch~iden in Fichtenwurzeln durch niedrigen pH-Wert und Aluminium-Ionen, Allg. Forstz., 25/26, 649-651.
Aluminium toxicity to Allium cepa L. grown in different soil waters and determination of the toxic A1 fraction
- Berggren
Evaluation of short-term tests for toxicity and mutagenicity with special reference to mercury and selenium
- Fiskesjö
The Allium test as a standard in environmental monitoring
- Fiskerkö
Nucleolar dissolution induced by aluminium in root cells of Allium
- Fiskerjö
Characteristische Meristemschäden in Fichtenwurzeln durch niedrigen pH-Wert und Aluminium-Ionen
- Metzler