Higher Plants as a warning to ionizing radiation: Tradescantia

Abstract

Since the 19th century, with industrial and urban development and the consequent increase in emissions from industrial activities and vehicular emissions have been observed air pollution effects on living organisms. Thus, since the beginning of the twentieth century, have been carried out several studies that include studies of the effect of pollution on plants (Chies,1983). Some features observed in these surveys are genotoxic effects, observation of falling leaves, analysis of pigments associated with photosynthetic apparatus, deposition and accumulation of chemicals in the leaves, structural and ultrastructural and effects on reproductive organs. The need for the scientific community to understand what are the environmental agents that cause genetic damage in humans has also been since the beginning of last century and, with this concern, began to enhance the studies on the processes that cause mutations in cells. To meet these challenges, then began to be developed several bioassays Toxicogenetics, from the simplest to the most sophisticated (Ribeiro et al.,2003) Each year, the amount of radioactive waste from research institutions, hospitals and nuclear power plants in Brazil and around the world is growing, and so the need to store this waste grows too. Waste storage induces questions for society concerning the amount of radiation exposure to man and the environment in the neighborhoods of waste deposit sites. In Brazil, the organ responsible for inspecting the deposits of nuclear waste is the National Commission for Nuclear Energy (Comissao Nacional de Energia NuclearCNEN). The stored nuclear waste can be of low or medium activity; the material is previously compacted and maintained in steel drums. They can be stored in initial, intermediary or permanent deposits. The permanent deposits are protected by thick concrete walls and may house the materials for short or midterm intervals of time. There is, in Brazil, only one permanent deposit for waste of small to medium activity where part of the material resulting from the cesium-137 accident in Goiânia (1987) is stored. The construction of other prominent deposits is under consideration. However, selection for the location of these deposits depends on a technical analysis that includes details of different levels of data and information. There is also a need to comply with the laws nr 4.118/62 and 10.308/01 respectively and the regulations NE-6.05 – Management of Radioactive Waste in Radioactive Installations (Gerencia de Rejeitos Radioativos em Instalacoes Radiativas), NE-6.06 – Selection and Choice of Locations for Deposits of Radioactive Waste (Selecao e Escolha de