Assessing a Freshwater Ecosystem Using Tradescantia Model Test Object

The clastogenicity of the water of a lake was investigated using the Tradescantia micronuclei test (Trad-MCN). Genomic damage in the plant’s generative sphere is manifested by a significant increase in micronuclei frequency in all samples. An integrative statistical analysis linked the test endpoints with metals present in low concentration in the lake’s water. Thorough comparisons of the results obtained from Tradescantia stamen hair mutation test (Trad-SHM) were conducted for each of the seven study stations. The performances of both tests used for indicating the genotoxic potential of the lake’s water were compared. Although both tests demonstrated significant genetic disturbances (in pollen mother cells of the plant and during active cell division in the stamen hair), a similar indication of the level of toxicity per site has been produced by the endpoints of Trad-MCN and the non-surviving stamen hair endpoint of Trad-SHM. The integration of the results of both Tradescantia -based assays could be recommended for improving the assessment of the genotoxic potential of natural freshwater.