In vitro analysis of the phytotoxic and genotoxic potential of Aligarh wastewater and Mathura refinery wastewater.

Present report deals with the phytotoxicity and genotoxicity of Mathura refinery wastewater and Aligarh wastewater of Northern India. The IC value in root growth inhibition test was recorded to be 0.14 and 0.10 for Mathura refinery and Aligarh industrial wastewaters, respectively. Significant decline in the survival of various K12 DNA repair defective mutants was observed when the tester strains were exposed to the aforementioned samples. The order of sensitivity was invariably as: AB1157 () < AB2494 () < AB2463 () < AB2480 (). These results suggested a significant amount of DNA damage within the bacterial cells exposed to test wastewaters. genotoxicity test also demonstrated a considerable amount of chromosomal damage of brought about by the test samples. The aberration index (A.I.) for Aligarh wastewater and refinery wastewater was recorded to be 11.2% and 14.7%, respectively, whereas the aquaguard mineral water serving as negative control displayed the A.I. value to be 2.6%. Interestingly, genotoxicity of both industrial wastewaters was reduced to a remarkable extent in presence of mannitol, the hydroxyl radical scavenger. Present study clearly indicated a distinct pattern of the chromosomal aberrations showing predominantly stickiness and stray chromosomes in case of AWW while clumping and stickiness in case of RWW, thereby affirming the genotoxicity of both test waters.