Comparative biomonitoring of leachates from hazardous solid waste of two industries using Allium test

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2005-07, Vol.347 (1), p.46-52
• Main Authors: Chandra, Saurabh, Chauhan, L.K.S., Murthy, R.C., Saxena, P.N., Pande, P.N., Gupta, S.K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allium cepa; Allium test; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Chromosome Aberrations - chemically induced; Coloring Agents - analysis; Coloring Agents - toxicity; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General purification processes; Genotoxicity; Hazardous solid waste; Hazardous Waste - adverse effects; Hazardous Waste - analysis; India; Industrial Waste - adverse effects; Industrial Waste - analysis; Leachates; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective - chemically induced; Mitotic Index; Onions - drug effects; Onions - genetics; Plant Root Cap - drug effects; Plant Root Cap - genetics; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Terrestrial environment, soil, air; Wastewaters; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.01.002

Hazardous industrial wastes are inevitable source of environmental pollution. Leachates from these wastes might contaminate the origins of potable water and affect human health. The study was carried out to determine the possible genotoxic effects of leachates from solid waste of a metal and dye industry using the Allium cepa chromosome aberrations assay. The 10% leachates were prepared from solid wastes obtained from both the industries and examined for the presence of heavy metal content and genotoxicity. To simulate the field and laboratory conditions, A. cepa bulbs were exposed through soil and aqueous medium for 48 h to 2.5–10% leachates. The results revealed that both metal waste leachate (MWL) and dye waste leachate (DWL) contained high concentrations of chromium, nickel and iron that significantly induced cytogenetic alterations. Significant inhibition of mitotic index (MI), inductions of chromosomal/mitotic aberrations (CA/MA) and micronuclei (MN) formation were found in all experimental groups exposed to MWL and DWL. The effects observed were concentration dependent and the frequency of aberrations was higher with treatment of MWL than DWL. The MI was severely inhibited at 10% aqueous exposure it was 4.59±0.69 ( P