L.R. Maschio
Published: September 08, 2009
Genet. Mol. Res. 8 (3) : 1107-1108
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/vol8-3ta020

Cite this Article:
L.R. Maschio (2009). Assessment of the mutagenic, genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of the waters of the Preto River in the area influenced by São José do Rio Preto, SP. Genet. Mol. Res. 8(3): 1107-1108. https://doi.org/10.4238/vol8-3ta020

About the Authors
L.R. Maschio

Due to increasing population and industrial expansion observed in recent decades, there has been a substantially greater burden on the environment due to domestic, industrial and agricultural sewage, which can have a severe impact on ecosystems and pose potential damage to human health as well. A wide range of harmful pollutants can be found in domestic effluent, such as chemicals from various categories, in addition to contamination by various biological agents. On the other hand, industrial effluents contain organic and/or inorganic pollutants, depending on the industrial activity. Based on these findings, this study aimed to investigate, by means of biological tests with two test organisms, the possible presence of contaminants with cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic potential, which are dumped along the Preto River, an important river that flows through the region of São José do Rio Preto, SP. The biological material used in this study consisted of seeds of Allium cepa (onion) and one species of fish (Tilapia: Oreochromis niloticus). Water samples were taken seasonally in August 2006 and 2007 (dry season) and March 2007 and 2008 (rainy season), at six different sites: Site 1 (S1), 8 km before the damming; Site 2 (S2), 1 km before the damming; Site 3 (S3), place of sewage discharge; Site 4 (S4), opposite bank of sewage discharge; Site 5 (S5), end of the damming; Site 6 (S6), 1 km after damming. Read more. . . 

Key words: Allium cepa, Comet assay, Oreochromis niloticus, Chromosomal aberrations, Nuclear abnormalities, Water pollution.