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Genotoxicity of industrial solid waste leachates in Drosophila melanogaster
Author(s) -
Siddique Hifzur R.,
Gupta Subash C.,
Dhawan Alok,
Murthy R.C.,
Saxena D.K.,
Chowdhuri D. Kar
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
environmental and molecular mutagenesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1098-2280
pISSN - 0893-6692
DOI - 10.1002/em.20149
Subject(s) - genotoxicity , leachate , comet assay , environmental chemistry , dna damage , toxicology , drosophila melanogaster , mutagen , acute toxicity , chemistry , biology , toxicity , carcinogen , biochemistry , dna , organic chemistry , gene
The potential toxicity of industrial solid wastes is a major environmental concern. The present study evaluated the genotoxicity of industrial waste leachates on the gut cells of Drosophila melanogaster (Oregon R + ), using a modified alkaline comet assay. Leachates were prepared from control soil and solid wastes generated by a flashlight battery factory, a pigment plant, and a tannery, using different pHs (7.0, 4.93, and 2.88). Newly emerged first instar Drosophila larvae (22 ± 2 hr) were transferred to standard Drosophila diet containing 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% of the leachates, and allowed to grow. At 96 ± 2 hr, the anterior midgut of control and treated larvae was dissected out; single cell suspensions were prepared; and the comet assay was performed on the cells. All the leachates produced significant ( P < 0.05), dose‐dependent increases in DNA damage, in the gut cells. Leachates prepared at pH 7.0 were significantly less genotoxic than leachates prepared at pH 4.93 or 2.88. A comparison of the comet parameters among the exposed groups indicated that leachates of the pigment plant solid waste produced the least DNA damage, while leachates prepared from the flashlight battery factory solid waste were the most genotoxic. The present study indicates that leachates of solid wastes from flashlight battery factories, pigment plants, and tanneries possess genotoxic activity and that D. melanogaster is a useful in vivo model for assessing the genotoxicity of these potential environmental contaminants. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.