Abstract
The mutagenic potentials of puritil which is used for sterilizing babies feeding utensils were assessed using the Allium cepa root meristem assay. The sterilizing fluid was found to exhibit both mitoclassic and chromatoclassic effects and thus induced a number of abnormalities. These abnormalities included disturbed interphase involving nuclear lesions and nuclear dissolutions, micronuclei and binucleate cells, sticky metaphase, disturbed anaphase involving unequal distribution of chromosomes and sticky bridges, and precocious chromosomes. These increased with increase in concentration and duration of treatment. Thus the mutagenic potentials of puritil exist and it should be of great concern since babies are exposed to it for at least the first two years of life. Keywords: Mutagenic, Potentials, Puritil, Root Tips, Allium cepaBio-Research Vol. 6 (1) 2008: pp. 293-297
Highlights
The use of some liquid chemicals to sterilize babies feeding utensils is a common culture among urban dwellers in Nigeria
The most common sterilants are Puritil and Milton. Both have sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as the active ingredient according to the manufacturers
The present study is on puritil and emphasis will be on its active ingredient since ATSDR (2006) reported that the toxic effects of sodium hypochlorite are primarily due to the corrosive properties of the hypochlorite moiety
Summary
Monarca et al, (2005) provided evidence of possible genotoxic effects of three drinking water disinfectants namely: sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), chlorine dioxide (ClO2) and peracetic acid (PAA). From their results, they concluded that “since the test concentrations of disinfectants are typical of those used in the biocidal treatment of tap water, and similar concentrations are consumed daily by a large number of people, the genotoxicity of these compounds may constitute a significant public health concern”. Rothwell (1993) observed that some chemical mutagens for instance mustard gas, produce a delayed effect in order words inducing mutation not in the cell that was exposed but in a descendant of that cell and making such mutagens very dangerous. The Allium cepa test is protocol number 8 in INVITTOX directory of standard laboratory protocols for toxicity screening
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