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Journal of Environmental BiologypISSN: 0254-8704 ; eISSN: 2394-0379 ; CODEN: JEBIDP |
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Abstract - Issue Jul 2010, 31 (4) BackThe investigation of cytotoxic
effects of refinery wastewater on root
tip cells of Vicia faba
L. 1Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and 2Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and (Received: Abstract: The present study was carried out to
evaluate the cytotoxic effects of refinery wastewater
collected from different stations of the Kizilirmak river on Vicia faba
L. root tip cells. For this aim, we used the germination percentage, root
length, weight gain and micronucleus (MN) frequency as indicators of cytotoxicity. Additionally to the cytological analysis, DNA
analyses were performed in root tips meristems of Vicia faba seeds treated with refinery
wastewater. Heavy metal concentrations in the water samples were determined
using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The concentrations of heavy
metals in the water were in the order of Pb>Zn>Fe>Cu>Ni>Cd>Hg. The highest germination percantage
was observed in the control group (in proportion as 96%).? Heavy metals in the water samples collected
from Station I, II and III caused a decrease in the germination percentage as
48, 18 and 30%, respectively. The highest root length and weight gain was
observed in the control group at the end of the experimental period. The least
root length and weight gain was observed in seeds treated with wastewater
collected from Station I. In the control group, the weights of all the seeds
increased about 4.08 g when compared with initial weight. The root lengths of
the control seeds were determined as 6.38 cm at the end of the experimental
period. The weights of the seeds exposed to wastewaters obtained from Station
I, II and III increased about 1.08, 3.03 and 2.01 g according to initial
weight, respectively. Microscopic examination of V. faba
root tip meristem cells showed that any example of
the MN formation was not seen in the control group. The highest frequency of MN
was observed in group treated with wastewater collected from Station I and
least frequency of MN was observed in group treated with wastewater collected
from Station II. It was also observed that the yields of DNA in the seeds
exposed to wastewater were lower than recorded in the controls.? Hence, DNA yields exposed to wastewater were
run ahead on agarose gel according to the control
group. The results clearly indicate that refinery wastewater had important cytotoxic effects on V. faba root
tip cells. It was also observed that V. faba seeds
are very sensitive and useful biomarkers for monitoring these effects in waters
contaminated with heavy metals. Key
words: Cytotoxicity,
Heavy metal contamination, Kizilirmak river, Micronucleus assay, Refinery wastewater, Vicia faba L. ??????? ?PDF of full length paper is available online Copyright
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