title: Evaluation of phenol detoxification by Brassica napus hairy roots, using Allium cepa test.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Meristematic mitotic cells of Allium cepa constitute an adequate material for cytotoxicity and genotoxicity evaluation of environmental pollutants, such as phenol, which is a contaminant frequently found in several industrial effluents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present work, Brassica napus hairy roots (HR) were used for phenol removal assays. The toxicity of post-removal solutions (PRS) and phenol solutions was analyzed. These HR removed the contaminant with high efficiency (100-80% for phenol solutions containing 10-250 mg/L, respectively). Phenol solutions treated with B. napus HR showed a significant reduction of general toxicity compared to untreated phenol solutions, since the IC50 values were 318.39 and 229.02 mg/L, respectively. Moreover, PRS presented lower cytotoxicity and genotoxicity than that found in phenol solutions untreated. The mitotic index (MI) observed in meristematic cells treated with PRS (100 and 250 mg/L of phenol) showed an increase of 35% and 42%, whereas the chromosome aberrations showed a significant decrease. According to these results, B. napus HR cultures could be used for the treatment of solutions contaminated with phenol, since we observed not only high removal efficiency, but also an important reduction of the general toxicity, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Molecular, FCEFQN, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, 5800, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina, psolangeg@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Paola S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Guillermo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Maglione
authors.forename: Micaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giordana
authors.forename: Cintia E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Paisio
authors.forename: Melina A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Talano
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agostini
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D029688:Brassica napus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000139:chemically induced; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D018519:Meristem / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008940:Mitotic Index; D019697:Onions / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019800:Phenol / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D019800:Phenol