Chemical and genetic study of water in urbanized territories for the content of heavy metals

Abstract

Heavy metals are agreed to play an essential role in environmental pollution. Belonging to genotoxic substances heavy metals cause dangerous damage to any living organisms. The article centers on the research about the connection between genotoxic (mutagenic and recombinogenic) activities of river waters located in Ussuriysk, Primorsky Krai, Russia and their level of pollution with heavy metals such as zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb). The research has been conducted with the usage of bio-testing method, in particular genetic test- system «Somatic mosaicism of the soybean», to analyze mutagenic and recombinogenic activities of river waters which index the level of water pollution with genotoxicants. This test-system allows to recognize a great number of cytogenetic actions such as somatic crossing-over, gene (point) mutations, chromosome deletions, aneuploidy. Water analysis conducted in the autumn of 2017 and 2018 proved cytogenetic (recombinogenic and mutagenic) water activity in the streams flowing across Ussuriysk, and only mutagenic water activity was discovered in the spring of 2017 and 2018, whereas the water samples taken in 2016 demonstrated low mutagenic and recombinogenic activities. High concentration of lead and cadmium in water increase the number of dark spots of light-green soybeans which is several times more than the standard. The number of the spots in the samples taken in spring and autumn was 2 – 4 times higher than the standard. During the research it was discovered that the tested water induces cytogenetic actions in the soybeans, that proves the presence of genotoxicants in the water.