A study on effects of cell phone tower-emitted non-ionizing radiations in an Allium cepa test system.

Considering enormous growth in population, technical advancement, and added reliance on electronic devices leading to adverse health effects, in situ simulations were made to evaluate effects of non-ionizing radiations emitted from three cell phone towers (T1, T2, and T3) of frequency bands (800, 1800, 2300 MHz), (900, 1800, 2300 MHz), and (1800 MHz), respectively. Five sites (S1-S5) were selected near cell phone towers exhibiting different power densities. The site with zero power density was considered as control. Effects of radiations were studied on morphology; protein content; antioxidant enzymes like ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), and glutathione reductase (GR); and genotoxicity using Allium cepa. Mean power density (µW/cm2) was recorded as 1.05, 1.18, 1.6, 2.73, and 12.9 for sites 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. A significant change in morphology, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight in Allium cepa was observed under the exposure at different sites. Protein content of roots showed significant difference for samples at all sites while bulbs at sites S4 and S5 when compared to control. Antioxidant activity for root in terms of APX, GST, and POD showed significant changes at S4 and S5 and GR at site S5 and SOD at S1, S2, S3, S4, and S5. Similarly, bulbs showed significant changes at sites S4 and S5 for APX while at sites S3, S4, and S5 for POD and S2, S3, S4, and S5 for SOD and S5 for GR and GST. Genotoxicity study has shown induction of abnormalities at different stages of the cell cycle in Allium cepa root tips. The samples under exposure to radiation with maximum power density have shown maximum induction of oxidative stress and genotoxicity.

A study on water quality monitoring of Buddha Nullah, Ludhiana, Punjab (India).

Diverse genotoxic agents, entering the aquatic environment through natural and anthropogenic events, pose serious threats to its biotic components. The present study involves the monitoring of water quality by assessing the genotoxic effects and physico-chemical parameters including heavy metals of 10 surface water samples collected from different locations of Buddha Nullah, a tributary of Sutlej flowing through Ludhiana, Punjab (India). Genotoxicity was evaluated following Allium cepa root chromosomal aberration assay and DNA nicking assay using plasmid (pBR322) whilst the metal (cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel and zinc) analysis was conducted using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. All water samples collected from the study area had cobalt and lead content more than the permissible limits (0.04 and 0.01, respectively) recommended by the Bureau of Indian Standards and the World Health Organization. The samples also induced genotoxicity following both bioassays. The water samples collected from Gaunspur (GP), a site approx. 75.53 km upstream of the Sutlej-Buddha Nullah joining point, has shown the maximum genotoxic effect, i.e. 38.62% in terms of per cent total aberrant cells during A. cepa assay and 100% DNA damage during DNA nicking assay. The Pearson correlation indicated that genotoxicity had a significant positive correlation with the content of cobalt (at p ≤ 0.5). During cluster analysis, the samples from 10 sites formed four statistically significant clusters based on the level of pollution that was dependent on two factors like similarity in physico-chemical characteristics and source of pollution at a specific site.

Sorption technique as a tool for reduction of genotoxicity.

In the present study, the Allium cepa root chromosomal aberration assay was used to determine the genotoxic effects of copper and cadmium ions solutions before and after sorption processes. The sorption process was carried out using unmodified Dendrocalamus strictus charcoal powder, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)-modified D. strictus charcoal powder, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The frequency of total chromosomal aberrations was observed to be 24.30-45.13% for copper and 13.16-45.14% for cadmium at different concentrations (1-500 mg/l) before the sorption process. Both metal ions solutions resulted in significant reduction of chromosomal aberrations after all the modes of the sorption processes. However, the order of reduction of percentage chromosomal aberrations for copper and cadmium solutions was found to be 45.29-70.04% and 47.80-84.57%, respectively (NTA-modified D. strictus charcoal powder); >44.53-54.32% and 37.10-79.40%, respectively (unmodified D. strictus charcoal powder); >15.59-48.51% and 13.63-21.50%, respectively (S. cerevisiae).

Dendrocalamus strictus Charcoal: An Efficient Adsorbent for Removal of Cu (II) Ions from Aqueous Solution and its Applicability in the Reduction of Genotoxic Potential of Cu (II) Ions.

The present study pertains to evaluate the efficiency of Dendrocalamus strictus charcoal powder as an adsorbent to adsorb copper ions from aqueous solution under different conditions of pH, initial metal ion concentration, adsorbent dose, contact time, and temperature. Physical characterization of Dendrocalamus strictus charcoal powder was performed using different techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer Emmett and Teller surface analysis and X-ray diffraction. Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models were employed to describe the adsorption behavior of adsorbent in the removal of copper ions from aqueous solution. Thermodynamic parameters indicated that the adsorption of copper ions onto the surface of the adsorbent was feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic in nature. Data analysis using kinetic models revealed the pseudo-second-order as the suitable model to describe the process of adsorption. Studies were further carried out to analyze the genotoxic effects of copper ions in aqueous solution before and after adsorption, using Allium cepa assay. This study revealed that Dendrocalamus strictus charcoal powder could be applied as an alternative for more costly adsorbents in the detoxification of copper ions from aqueous solution.