The Tradescantia micronucleus assay is a highly sensitive tool for the detection of low levels of radioactivity in environmental samples.
Environmental contamination with radioactive materials of geogenic and anthropogenic origin is a global problem. A variety of mutagenicity test procedures has been developed which enable the detection of DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation which plays a key role in the adverse effects caused by radioisotopes. In the present study, we investigated the usefulness of the Tradescantia micronucleus test (the most widely used plant based genotoxicity bioassay) for the detection of genetic damage caused by environmental samples and a human artifact (ceramic plate) which contained radioactive elements. We compared the results obtained with different exposure protocols and found that direct exposure of the inflorescences is more sensitive and that the number of micronuclei can be further increased under "wet" conditions. The lowest dose rate which caused a significant effect was 1.2 μGy/h (10 h). Comparisons with the results obtained with other systems (i.e. with mitotic cells of higher plants, molluscs, insects, fish and human lymphocytes) show that the Tradescantia MN assay is one to three orders of magnitude more sensitive as other models, which are currently available. Taken together, our findings indicate that this method is due to its high sensitivity a unique tool, which can be used for environmental biomonitoring in radiation polluted areas.
Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Internal Medicine I, Borschkegasse 8a, Vienna 1090, Austria.
Miroslav
M
Mišík
Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, AKH, Vienna, Austria.
Georg
G
Krupitza
Department of Botany, Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Slovakia.
Katarina
K
Mišíková
Department of Botany, Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Slovakia.
Karol
K
Mičieta
Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Internal Medicine I, Borschkegasse 8a, Vienna 1090, Austria.
Armen
A
Nersesyan
Center for Public Health, Institute of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Michael
M
Kundi
Institute of Cancer Research, Department of Internal Medicine I, Borschkegasse 8a, Vienna 1090, Austria. Electronic address: siegfried.knasmueller@meduniwien.ac.at.
Siegfried
S
Knasmueller
D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D056626:Inflorescence; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D011851:Radioactivity; D034823:Tradescantia / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*
D004785:Environmental Pollutants
Chromosomal damage; Ionizing radiation; Plants