Screening and biomonitoring of industrial effluents using phytotoxicity tests

摘要

AbstractThe use of phytotoxicity (higher plant) tests as a part of ecotoxicology is relatively underdeveloped. The objective of this study was to evaluate phytotoxicity tests for screening and biomonitoring complex effluent samples. Mortality tests using common duckweed and seed germination tests were conducted using eight effluent samples collected from three industrial sources. Duckweed plants were found to be extremely sensitive to two effluents, with nearly 100 mortality occurring. Duckweed plants in some samples showed lesions (breakup of colony structure) and loss of green pigments (chlorosis); others showed localized dead tissues (necrosis). Six kinds of seeds were tested: cabbage, cucumber, millet, Japanese millet, rice and wheat. Cabbage and millet seeds were the most sensitive. The germination of these seeds was 100 inhibited in some samples. The results suggest that phytotoxicity tests with higher plants have potential for use in the biomonitoring of industrial effluents because of their simplicity, sensitivity and cost‐effectivenes