Cytogenetic techniques in Allium cepa test system as instrument for assessing mutagenic potential of river waters: using Monjolinho river (São Carlos-SP) as model

• Grant number: 05/00778-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2005
• End date: December 31, 2005
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Aparecida Marin Morales
• Grantee: Jaqueline Bianchi Ambrósio
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Monjolinho River, runs through São Carlos county, is one of the main responsible for the water supply in this city. However, this water resources receives great quantity of effluents deriving from industial and urban wastes. Due to possible contaminations by different residues, this water consumption can cause, in long time, a diminution in the surviving of organisms, by means of inductions of alterations in its genoma. The Allium cepa specie, is considered one of the best test system utilized to evaluate the mutagenic potential of environmental chimicals, because it has high sensibility and good correlation with mammalian test system. This work aim is to evaluate, by citogenetics technics, the potentiality of the Monjolinho River water in induce chromossomic aberrations in A. cepa, promoted by presence of contaminants potentially mutagenics due to ejection domestics and industrial effluents in this river.