Genotoxicity and Physical Chemistry Analysis of waters from Sinos River (RS) using Allium cepa and Eichhornia crassipes as bioindicators

Abstract

In recent years there was an increase in pollutant dump into Sinos River (RS) due to population growth and increasing development in “Vale dos Sinos” region. Therefore, it is important to assess this river in highly industrialized areas. This study aims at analyzing toxic and genotoxic effects of Sinos River water, subjected to industrial and urban dump from the cities of Novo Hamburgo (NH) and São Leopoldo (SL), as well as analyzing some of the physicochemical parameters. Water samples were collected from the river during Summer (December/2010) and Autumn (April/2011), using the Allium cepa test and some physicochemical analysis. The Eichhornia crassipse macrophyte was also considered as bioindicator, during Autumn. The results showed that the water samples analyzed presented substances with toxic and genotoxic effects, according to period and place assessed. The hexavalent Chromium found in the physicochemical analysis of these water samples could be responsible for inducing toxicity and genotoxicity in meristematic cells of A. cepa and E. crassipes. The E. crassipes macrophyte seemed to be more resistant to pollution effects when compared to A. cepa.