Assessing the genotoxicity of urban air pollutants in Varanasi city using Tradescantia micronucleus (trad-MCN) bioassay

TitleAssessing the genotoxicity of urban air pollutants in Varanasi city using Tradescantia micronucleus (trad-MCN) bioassay
Publication TypeJournal Article
AuthorsPrajapati, Santosh Kumar, and B.D. Tripathi
JournalEnvironment International
Volume34
Issue8
Pagination1092-1096
ISSN0160-4120
AbstractIn the present study Tradescantia micronucleus (Trad-MCN) bioassay was performed to assess the genotoxicity of air pollutants in Varanasi City. The experiment was performed during October 2006 to April 2007. For Tradescantia micronucleus (Trad-MCN) bioassay four sites were selected, three in the city having different traffic characteristics and one control site virtually free from traffic intervention. Twenty young Tradescantia pallida inflorescences were collected from each sampling site during the study period and micronuclei frequencies were determined in early tetrads of pollen mother cells and expressed as MCN/100 tetrads. During the same period the concentration of different air pollutants were also measured. Tradescantia micronucleus (Trad-MCN) bioassay showed that the plants kept in areas having higher traffic emissions evidence higher micronuclei frequencies than samples kept at control site. The study indicates that in situ biomonitoring using higher plants may be useful for characterizing genotoxic air pollutants in areas even without any sophisticated instrument.
URLhttp://www.sciencedirect.com.libproxy.rpi.edu/science/article/B6V7X-4SDNG4F-1/2/2205765169cfaaa1c1195554ad04981c
DOI10.1016/j.envint.2008.03.009
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