Mutagenicity of leachates from industrial solid wastes using Salmonella reverse mutation assay.

Leachates derived from dry wastes of the metal, tannery, and dye industries of the state of Uttar Pradesh (India) were analyzed for their mutagenic potential using reverse mutation assay. Both the spot and plate incorporation assays were conducted with four tester strains of Salmonella typhimurium (TA97a, TA98, TA100, and TA102). The metal concentrations in the samples were also determined. The result suggests that leachates derived from metal and tannery wastes possess mutagenic properties. The findings are indicative of the type of environmental and health risks posed by improper waste disposal.