Polluted water concentrates: Induction of genetic alterations inSaccharomyces cerevisiae D7 strain

Abstract

In a previous paper the authors showed that samples of raw water obtained from the Riachuelo (a heavily polluted watercourse) induced genetic effects in Saccharomyces cerevisiae D7 strain. In those tests the raw water samples were assayed within 24 hr and only the mutagenic activity of the non-volatile, water soluble constituents could be detected. The detection and quantitation of genetic toxicity in the organic water-insoluble fraction becomes much more difficult. This organic material consists of thousands of unidentified compounds in dilute mixtures which are not amenable to current analytical technology. Consequently, concentration of organic compounds is required before performance of biological tests. The development of analytical methods involving XAD resins for the isolation and identification of pesticides and other compounds led to the use of XAD resins in the concentration of organics in water. In the experiments reported here the genotoxic potential of XAD2 concentrates, obtained from samples of a heavily polluted stream, were evaluated by the induction of gene conversion and point mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae D7 strain.