Evaluation of genotoxic effects caused by extracts of chlorinated drinking water using a combination of three different bioassays

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2015-10, Vol.296, p.23-29
• Main Authors: Zeng, Qiang, Zhang, Shao-Hui, Liao, Jing, Miao, Dong-Yue, Wang, Xin-Yi, Yang, Pan, Yun, Luo-Jia, Liu, Ai-Lin, Lu, Wen-Qing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological Assay; CHO Cells; Cricetulus; Disinfection by-products; DNA Damage; Drinking Water - chemistry; Drinking Water - standards; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Genotoxic effect; Halogenation; Hep G2 Cells; HGPRT gene mutation assay; Humans; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective - chemically induced; Micronucleus assay; Micronucleus Tests; Mutagens - toxicity; Salmonella typhimurium - drug effects; Salmonella typhimurium - genetics; Seasons; Solid Phase Extraction; SOS/umu test; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2015.04.047

•Genotoxic effects of water extracts were evaluated using a combination of three different bioassays.•All water samples in January and July induced at least one types of genotoxic effects.•The levels of gene-mutation and DNA-damage effects in January were higher than those in July.•Chlorination increased the different types of genotoxic effects of drinking water that was dependent on the sampling times. Potential genotoxic effects of chlorinated drinking water now are of a great concern. In this study, raw water, finished water, and tap water from a water plant in Wuhan, China were collected in two different sampling times of the year (January and July). Genotoxic effects of water extracts were evaluated using a combination of three different bioassays: SOS/umu test, HGPRT gene mutation assay, and micronucleus assay, which were separately used to detect DNA damage, gene mutation, and chromosome aberration. The results of three different bioassays showed that all water samples in January and July induced at least one types of genotoxic effects, of which the DNA-damage effects were all detectable. The levels of DNA-damage effects and gene-mutation effects of finished water and tap water in January were higher than those in July. Chlorination could increase the DNA-damage effects of drinking water in January and the gene-mutation effects of drinking water in both January and July, but did not increase the chromosome-aberration effects of drinking water in both January and July. Our results highlighted the importance of using a combination of different bioassays to evaluate the genotoxicity of water samples in different seasons.