title: Water quality of urban streams: the Allium cepa seeds/seedlings test as a tool for surface water monitoring.
abstract: The present study investigates the genotoxic, mutagenic, and cytotoxic potential of surface waters in urban streams using Allium cepa and analyzes the applicability of this assay for environmental monitoring. Water samples were collected from three streams located in the urban area of a municipality in the south of Brazil. For each stream, two samples were collected, one upstream and one downstream of the pollution discharge site. Physicochemical evaluation indicated that all samples had various degrees of environmental impact, but substantial impact was seen for the downstream samples of the Preto and Pedras streams. All samples increased the frequency of chromosome aberrations (P < 0.05). The sample from Pedras downstream site also caused a decrease in mitotic index (P < 0.08) and increase in micronuclei (P < 0.08) frequency, indicating potential cytotoxicity and mutagenicity. The Pedras stream receives mixed industrial and urban wastewater, while the Lajeado and Preto streams receive wastewater predominantly domestic in nature, which may partially explain the difference in toxicity among the samples. Moreover, the Allium cepa seeds/seedlings were shown to be extremely sensitive in detecting the genotoxicity of environmental water samples and can be applied as the first tool for environmental health hazard identification and prediction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, Avenue Independência 2293, 96815-900 Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Gonçalves
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Athanásio
authors.affiliation: Postgraduation Course of Health Promotion, Department of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, Avenue Independência 2293, 96815-900 Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prá
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biotechnology and Genetics, Department of Biology and Pharmacy, University of Santa Cruz do Sul, Avenue Independência 2293, 96815-900 Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7523-7211
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rieger
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005843:Geography; D018519:Meristem / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000187:drug effects; D008940:Mitotic Index; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity; D019697:Onions / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D045483:Rivers; D036226:Seedlings / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D012639:Seeds / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical