The use of aquatic plant Elodea canadensis to assess toxicity and genotoxicity of sediments of the Yenisei River
We estimated toxicity, cyto‐ and genotoxicity of bulk sediments from the Yenisei River in laboratory bioassay based on using several endpoints of aquatic plant Elodea canadensis (Elodea). The samples of bottom sediments (BS) were collected in the Yenisei River upstream and downstream of the sources of chemical and radioactive contamination. The testing revealed different sensitivities of Elodea endpoints to the quality of BS: weight of shoots < length of shoots < mitotic index < length of roots < percent of abnormal cells. The response of the genotoxicity endpoint (percent of cells with chromosome abnormalities in roots of Elodea) was the highest on the sediments with chemical pollution, while the highest inhibition of toxicity endpoints (shoot and root length) occurred on the sediments with the highest level of radioactive pollution. The extreme response of Elodea endpoints to the quality of certain sediment samples may be regarded as related to the possible presence of unrevealed toxicants. Based on the investigation performed, we may conclude that E.canadensis can be used as an indicator species in laboratory contact testing of BS. The responses of shoot and root length growth endpoints of Elodea can be recommended as basic sensitive indicators of toxicity of BS. Analysis of cells carrying abnormal chromosomes in apical root meristem of Elodea can be performed optionally in the same test to assess genotoxicity of sediments. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
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