Tradescantia micronucleus test indicates genotoxic potential of traffic emissions in European cities.

TY - JOUR

T1 - Tradescantia micronucleus test indicates genotoxic potential of traffic emissions in European cities.

AU - Klumpp, A.

AU - Ansel, W.

AU - Klumpp, G.

AU - Calatayud, V.

AU - Garrec, J.P.

AU - He, S.

AU - Penuelas, J.

AU - Ribas, A.

AU - Ro-Poulsen, Helge

AU - Rasmussen, S.

AU - Sanz, M.J.

AU - Vergne, P.

N1 - Keywords: Urban air pollution; Genotoxicity; Bioindicator; Bioassay; Tradescantia micronucleus test

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - Urban atmospheres contain complex mixtures of air pollutants including mutagenic and carcinogenic substances such as benzene, diesel soot, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In the frame of a European network for the assessment of air quality by the use of bioindicator plants, the Tradescantia micronucleus (Trad-MCN) test was applied to examine the genotoxicity of urban air pollution. Cuttings of Tradescantia clone #4430 were exposed to ambient air at 65 monitoring sites in 10 conurbations employing a standardised methodology. The tests revealed an elevated genotoxic potential mainly at those urban sites which were exposed to severe car traffic emissions. This bioassay proved to be a suitable tool to detect local ‘hot spots' of mutagenic air pollution in urban areas. For its use in routine monitoring programmes, however, further standardisation of cultivation and exposure techniques is recommended in order to reduce the variability of results due to varying environmental conditions.The Tradescantia micronucleus test can be used to assess genotoxic potential at urban sites.

AB - Urban atmospheres contain complex mixtures of air pollutants including mutagenic and carcinogenic substances such as benzene, diesel soot, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In the frame of a European network for the assessment of air quality by the use of bioindicator plants, the Tradescantia micronucleus (Trad-MCN) test was applied to examine the genotoxicity of urban air pollution. Cuttings of Tradescantia clone #4430 were exposed to ambient air at 65 monitoring sites in 10 conurbations employing a standardised methodology. The tests revealed an elevated genotoxic potential mainly at those urban sites which were exposed to severe car traffic emissions. This bioassay proved to be a suitable tool to detect local ‘hot spots' of mutagenic air pollution in urban areas. For its use in routine monitoring programmes, however, further standardisation of cultivation and exposure techniques is recommended in order to reduce the variability of results due to varying environmental conditions.The Tradescantia micronucleus test can be used to assess genotoxic potential at urban sites.

U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2005.05.021

DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2005.05.021

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 16098647

SN - 0269-7491

VL - 139

SP - 515

EP - 522

JO - Environmental Pollution

JF - Environmental Pollution

IS - 3

ER -