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Allium cepa L. as a bioindicator to measure cytotoxicity of surface water of the Quatorze River, located in Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil

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Abstract

Due to an increase in water consumption in the industrial sector and within the Brazilian population, surface water that receives wastewater from industries, domestic sewage, agricultural industries, and sewage treatment stations can pollute water bodies when not properly treated. The water quality has been linked to catchment characteristics and intensity of agricultural activities. Thus, the aim of this study was to monitor the cytotoxic potential of the water of the Quatorze River, located in the town of Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil, along its route in the rural area, using the root meristematic cells of Allium cepa L. as a bioindicator. The results showed that the water at points 2, 3, and 4 were not cytotoxic because the rates of A. cepa cell division were unaltered. Point 1 had presented a mitotic index that was statistically larger than the negative control, indicating that this water contained substances with mitogenic capacity, as demonstrated by elevated values in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). However, the mitotic index values decreased along the route of the river (point 1 to point 4), possibly indicating a mechanism of self-purification, despite having received other sources of pollution. Thus, the results of this study show that the water of the Quatorze River should undergo periodic environmental monitoring at different times of the year, including cytotoxicity analysis, to evaluate the principal sources of contamination to maintain the quality of the river water and, consequently, to maintain human health and equilibrium of the entire ecosystem.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Laboratory of Mutagenesis and Environmental Monitoring of the State University of Maringá and the Federal Technological University of Paraná—Campus Francisco Beltrão.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cell Biology, State University of Maringá, Avenida Colombo 5790, Bloco H67 (11), Jardim Universitário, CEP: 87020-900, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil

    Elisângela Düsman & Veronica Elisa Pimenta Vicentini

  2. Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal Technological University of Paraná, Campus Francisco Beltrão, Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil

    Michel Luzza, Leoberto Savegnago, Daiana Lauxen, Ivane Benedetti Tonial & Ticiane Pokrywiecki Sauer

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  1. Elisângela Düsman
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  2. Michel Luzza
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  3. Leoberto Savegnago
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  5. Veronica Elisa Pimenta Vicentini
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  6. Ivane Benedetti Tonial
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Correspondence to Elisângela Düsman.

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Düsman, E., Luzza, M., Savegnago, L. et al. Allium cepa L. as a bioindicator to measure cytotoxicity of surface water of the Quatorze River, located in Francisco Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil. Environ Monit Assess 186, 1793–1800 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-013-3493-8

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