Avaliação da citogenotoxicidade de águas fluviais na área urbana do município de Presidente Prudente – SP, através do teste Allium cepa L

Abstract

Several health problems can arise from the interaction of people with polluted environment. Many of the contaminants thrown in the environment can have toxic and mutagenic properties. Detection of these agents can be performed through bioassays with higher plants, such as common onion (Allium cepa), which is widely used, because of its low cost and high sensitivity. This work evaluated the water quality of the Limoeiro stream in Presidente Prudente, by analyzing the cytotoxic and mutagenic potential, using the Allium cepa test system in five different points of the stream and in two periods of the year (rainy and dry). By calculating and comparing mitotic index, chromosomal abnormalities and micronuclei with a negative control, we observed that all the evaluated points presented some level of contamination. By comparing these data to the results of physical-chemical and biological analyzis, which were performed in the same places and same date, it was possible to infer some correlations. The springs were the only place that did not present cytotoxicity or genotoxicity, but some chemical values were relevant. The Balneário da Amizade and the effluent place of ETE-Limoeiro were the points that were apparently most impacted by pollution, since they presented significant values in several analyzed parameters and in both periods of the year. The other points presented significant values, however, in less parameters or less frequency. Other factors should be evaluated so that we have a better understanding of the agents that cause these changes. It is necessary to obtain more data on pollutant sources and the identification of other compounds that may have influenced the results that were obtained in this work