Reduction of genotoxicity of a creosote-contaminated soil after fungal treatment determined by the Tradescantia-micronucleus test.
The fungal degradation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in a contaminated soil from a hazardous waste site was evaluated in a pilot-scale study. As some PAH are known to be mutagens, the Tradescantia-micronucleus test (TRAD-MCN) was selected to evaluate the genotoxicity of the soil before and after fungal treatment. The genotoxicity test was conducted with Tradescantia clone 4430. Cuttings were exposed for 30 h to different dilutions of soil extracts from the PAH-contaminated soil before and after fungal treatment. Soil extracts before fungal treatment exhibited a relatively strong genotoxic effect in the meiotic pollen mother cells even at a 1% concentration, and the highest concentration without significant effect was 0.25%. After fungal treatment, the depletion of selected PAH was associated with a reduction of the soil genotoxicity. The 2% concentration of the extract from the fungal-treated soil showed genotoxic effects comparable to the 1% soil extract without fungal treatment. These results indicate that the Trad-MCN test has a potential utility for evaluating the efficiency of bioremediation of genotoxic soil contaminants.
Baud-Grasset
S
S
International Technologies Corporation, Cincinnati, OH 45246.
Baud-Grasset
F
F
Bifulco
J M
JM
Meier
J R
JR
Ma
T H
TH
D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003407:Creosote / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity
D012989:Soil Pollutants; D003407:Creosote