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Chromosomal aberrations observed in Allium cepa meristematic cells: a normal interphase; b normal prophase; c normal metaphase; d normal anaphase; e normal telophase; f interphase with nuclear bud; g micronucleated cell in interphase; h micronucleated and polyploid cell in prophase; i C-metaphase; j metaphase with adherence; k polyploid metaphase; l micronucleated cell in metaphase; m anaphase cell with chromosomal bridge; n multipolar anaphase; o telophase with chromosomal breakage; p telophase with chromosomal loss; q binucleated and lobulated cell
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Biodegradable polymers are considered a feasible option to minimize the environment impacts of high disposal of solid waste. Nevertheless, environmental safety of these materials is a few explored issue. In this context, this study evaluated ecotoxicological effects in soil of the biodegradable materials poly(lactic acid)-PLA, poly(butylene adipate...
Citations
... In the case of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), the risk to marine life derives not only from the ingestion and entanglement [31] but also because of the leaching of monomers [32]. The ecotoxicological effects in soil of the biodegradable PLA and PBAT and their blends were evaluated, and the results indicated were not phytotoxic, cytotoxic, genotoxic nor mutagenic for meristematic cells of Allium cepa as the test organism [33]. ...
Given the widespread use of esters and polyesters in products like cosmetics, fishing nets, lubricants and adhesives, whose specific application(s) may cause their dispersion in open environments, there is a critical need for stringent eco-design criteria based on biodegradability and ecotoxicity evidence. Our approach integrates experimental and computational methods based on short oligomers, offering a screening tool for the rapid identification of sustainable monomers and oligomers, with a special focus on bio-based alternates. We provide insights into the relationships between the chemical structure and properties of bio-based oligomers in terms of biodegradability in marine environments and toxicity in benchmark organisms. The experimental results reveal that the considered aromatic monomers (terephthalic acid and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid) accumulate under the tested conditions (OECD 306), although some slight biodegradation is observable when the inoculum derives from sites affected by industrial and urban pollution, which suggests that ecosystems adapt to non-natural chemical pollutants. While clean seas are more susceptible to toxic chemical buildup, biotic catalytic activities offer promise for plastic pollution mitigation. Without prejudice to the fact that biodegradability inherently signifies a desirable trait in plastic products, nor that it automatically grants them a sustainable “license”, this study is intended to facilitate the rational design of new polymers and materials on the basis of specific uses and applications.
... The total abnormality percentage increase was also dosedependent. This increase agrees with previous results of testing various substances on onion root tips 24,25 . These results are in agreement with other research which tested the effect of Aflatoxin B1 on reactive oxygen species-dependent caspase-mediated apoptosis in normal human cells, and on inhibition of Allium cepa root cell division 26 , and another research tested the toxic activity of citrinin, a fungal phytotoxin, and its mode of action in onion cells 27 . ...
Trichothecene T2 is a mycotoxin from the Fusarium species. This research aims to test the effect of the Trichothecene T2 toxin on mitotic index% (M.I.%) and induction of mitotic aberrations by using the Allium sativum (garlic) test system. The toxin concentrations in ppm were: 0.00, 0.30, 0.60, 0.90, and 1.20 for 12 hours. The garlic roots were then cut and mitotic slides were prepared by the squash method and examined under a light microscope. The results revealed that the mycotoxin has a significant mitodepressive effect at all concentrations compared to the control and the MI% reduction was proportional to increasing toxin concentration. The highest reduction in mitotic index was observed in the 1.2 ppm treatment. Moreover, this mycotoxin induced and increased the rate of mitotic abnormalities% (MA%) with increasing the mycotoxin concentration. The observed mitotic abnormalities were star-shaped anaphase, sticky metaphase, C-mitosis, sticky anaphase, depolarization, micronuclei, laggard chromosomes, anaphase bridges, and chromosome loss. The least frequently observed abnormality was micronuclei compared to the most frequent aberration, laggard chromosomes. The total mitotic abnormalities significantly increased with increasing the toxin dose concentration. These results suggest that this mycotoxin can inhibit the mitotic activity of the meristematic cells, it is mutagenic and can disrupt the spindle fibers activity of the dividing cells at all concentrations, especially at its higher doses in food. Therefore, the foods must be tested for fungi producing this mycotoxin. Keywords: Mycotoxin; mitodepressive; root tip; spindle fibers; mutagenic
... The total abnormality percentage increase was also dosedependent. This increase agrees with previous results of testing various substances on onion root tips 24,25 . These results are in agreement with other research which tested the effect of Aflatoxin B1 on reactive oxygen species-dependent caspase-mediated apoptosis in normal human cells, and on inhibition of Allium cepa root cell division 26 , and another research tested the toxic activity of citrinin, a fungal phytotoxin, and its mode of action in onion cells 27 . ...
Trichothecene T2 is a mycotoxin from the Fusarium species. This research aims to test the effect of the Trichothecene T2 toxin on mitotic index% (M.I.%) and induction of mitotic aberrations by using the Allium sativum (garlic) test system. The toxin concentrations in ppm were 0.00, 0.30, 0.60, 0.90, and 1.20 for 12 hours. The garlic roots were then cut, and mitotic slides were prepared using squash and examined under a light microscope. The results revealed that the mycotoxin has a significant mitodepressive effect at all concentrations compared to the control, and the MI% reduction was proportional to increasing toxin concentration. The highest reduction in mitotic index was observed in the 1.2 ppm treatment. Moreover, this mycotoxin induced and increased the rate of mitotic abnormalities% (MA%) with increasing the mycotoxin concentration. The observed mitotic abnormalities were star-shaped anaphase, sticky meta-phase, C-mitosis, sticky anaphase, depolarization, micronuclei, laggard chromosomes, anaphase bridges, and chromosome loss. The least frequently observed abnormality was micronuclei compared to the most frequent aberration, laggard chromosomes. The total mitotic abnormalities significantly increased with increasing the toxin dose concentration. These results suggest that this mycotoxin can inhibit the mitotic activity of the mer-istematic cells; it is mutagenic and can disrupt the spindle fibers' activity of the dividing cells at all concentrations , especially at higher doses in food. Therefore, the foods must be tested for fungi producing this myco-toxin.
... As lâminas foram analisadas e fotografadas sob objetivas de 20x e 40 x em microscópio Z eiss (modelo Scope.A1). Após o registro fotográfico, as células foram contadas utilizando o software ImageJ versão 1.52d com auxílio do plugin Cell Counter.A análise genotóxica foi avaliada pela presença de alterações cromossômicas.Foram identificadas as células que contém aberrações cromossômicas (aderência, poliploidia, perda, C-metáfase, multipolaridade e pontes anafásicas) e anormalidades nucleares (células binucleadas, trinucleadas e núcleos lobulados)(PROLO JÚNIOR et al., 2019), foram utilizadas para este parâmetro 500 células por lâmina, totalizando 5 mil células por amostra(PALSIKOWISK et al., 2018).Para a análise mutagênica foram identificadas células que continham um ou mais micronúcleos, sendo contadas 500 células por lâmina, totalizando 5 mil células por amostra(FISKEJO, 1998; MENEGUETTI et al., 2012; MENEGUETTI et al., 2014; ANACLETO;ROBERTO;MARIN-MORALES, 2017;PAIXÃO et al., 2019a, PAIXÃO et al., 2019b. ...
... As lâminas foram analisadas e fotografadas sob objetivas de 20x e 40 x em microscópio Z eiss (modelo Scope.A1). Após o registro fotográfico, as células foram contadas utilizando o software ImageJ versão 1.52d com auxílio do plugin Cell Counter.A análise genotóxica foi avaliada pela presença de alterações cromossômicas.Foram identificadas as células que contém aberrações cromossômicas (aderência, poliploidia, perda, C-metáfase, multipolaridade e pontes anafásicas) e anormalidades nucleares (células binucleadas, trinucleadas e núcleos lobulados)(PROLO JÚNIOR et al., 2019), foram utilizadas para este parâmetro 500 células por lâmina, totalizando 5 mil células por amostra(PALSIKOWISK et al., 2018).Para a análise mutagênica foram identificadas células que continham um ou mais micronúcleos, sendo contadas 500 células por lâmina, totalizando 5 mil células por amostra(FISKEJO, 1998; MENEGUETTI et al., 2012; MENEGUETTI et al., 2014; ANACLETO;ROBERTO;MARIN-MORALES, 2017;PAIXÃO et al., 2019a, PAIXÃO et al., 2019b. ...
... Other biodegradable materials, such as poly(lactic acid)-PLA and poly(butylene adipate co-terephthalate)-PBAT, showed no phytotoxic, cytotoxic, genotoxic, or mutagenic action for meristematic cells of A. cepa [35]. Studies performed with polystyrene nano plastics (PSNPs) caused a significant decrease in cell viability, a reduction in root length of A. cepa, and a considerable increase in oxidative stress, all concentration-dependent effects (12.5 -50 mg L -1 ) [37]. ...
... The toxicity of biodegradable plastic mulches can be assessed by evaluating the growth of plants in agricultural fields or on aqueous soil extracts where biodegradable plastic fragments are present (Souza et al., 2020;Qi et al., 2018;Muroi et al., 2016;Sforzini et al., 2016;Palsikowski et al., 2018). The ecotoxicity evaluation was carried out by planting seeds in soils that had accumulated 1% (w/w) plastic fragments and that had been buried previously about 6-7 months ago. ...
... Qi et al., (2018) reported that the soils having LDPE [1% (w/w)] and BDM mulch affected both the vegetative and reproductive growth of wheat plants and the effect of plant growth depended on fragment size; the fragments between 50 and 1000 nm produced stronger consequences than those between 4 and 10 mm, while the synergistic activity of soil earthworms added major effects on plant growth in the presence of plastic fragments. But Palsikowski et al. (2018) did not find any cytotoxic, genotoxic, or mutagenic effects of an aqueous soil extract having an Ecoflex® (PBAT) [2% (w/w)] biodegradable plastic film component buried in soil for more than 6 months on onion plant growth. However, the blending of Ecoflex® (25%) and polylactic acid (75%), as mulching materials, showed chromosomal aberration in the onion root tip squash. ...
The plastic film mulching system has a significant role in increasing crop grain yields by changing the microenvironment of the plant. On the other hand, plastic mulching materials pollute the land and water because they are not degraded or disposed of properly. Biodegradable plastic mulches (BPM) may be used as a substitute for conventional low-density polyethylene (LDPE) to protect soil health. In this review, the effect of micro(nano)plastics on soil health and function has been discussed in light of their distribution in soil, changes in soil biochemistry, interactions between microplastics with soil microbes and plants, and their growth patterns. The nano-plastics are now incorporated into the food chain from the soil through plants and finally harm the whole ecosystem, including humans. The use of BPM has been practiced recently, but only 1% of the world’s total plastic production is from biodegradable materials. In the second part of the review, the confusing terms "bio-based" and "biodegradable" were clarified based on their polymeric constituents. The physical parameters of different constituent materials for mulching purposes and their capability for sustainable solarization have been discussed. The effect of biodegradable mulches on soil health and other ecotoxic effects on plants, soil microorganisms, and other soil dwellers like Daphnia magna, Vibrio fischeri bacteria, green algae, slime mould, protozoa, invertebrates like earthworms, and common water fleas have been focused on in this review. In conclusion, the use of BPM for mulching purposes was reported to improve crop quality and yield and reduce weed growth in comparison to naked soil. The recent short-term studies ensured that mulches stayed unbroken throughout the growing season. But simultaneously, the biodegradable mulches affect soil health and have a substantial impact on physical parameters such as soil pH, electrical conductivity, aggregate stability, infiltration, nitrate-N, exchangeable potassium, etc. Therefore, a lot of long-term research is required for the use of BPM as a substitute for conventional LDPE as a mulching film in the agricultural field.
... Other research route at stake for developing more environmentally friendly materials is the study of biodegradable polymers in detriment to those of complex degradation, whose main applications include sectors such as food packaging/ agriculture and the medical field [16][17][18][19][20]. ...
Due to the environmental appeal that has grown in recent years, the use of agricultural wastes and plant fibers to develop new biodegradable materials is increasing quickly. In this context, nanocomposites reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) obtained from Bromelia (Neoglaziovia variegate) fibers have stood out as promising materials. Despite CNCs used to be separated from a cellulosic matrix in a good way with inorganic acids, the use of acidic ionic liquids (IL) has been arising as a safer and greener approach. Several authors have proposed the aprotic IL [BMIM][HSO4] as an excellent alternative media to CNCs separation, and in previous work, we have proven that the cheaper protic IL [2-HEA][HSO4] is valid for the same purpose. In this work, CNCs were separated from cellulose previously extracted from bromelia through the processing with H2SO4, [BMIM][HSO4], and [2-HEA][HSO4]. A variety of techniques, like thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrophoretic light scattering (ELS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to CNCs characterization. The rod-like and spherical nanoparticles showed good thermal stability, and this could allow their incorporation into a polymeric matrix. Nanoparticles isolated with protic ionic liquid showed more excellent crystallinity when compared with nanoparticles with aprotic ionic liquid.
... This is consistent with previous studies which used low LDPE and biodegradable microplastic concentrations with barley [31,42] and other crop types [43,44]. Furthermore, no ecotoxicological effects were found for Allium cepa for PLA, PBAT and their blends [45]. Some studies have found negative impacts on Lolium perenne germination and shoot growth for PLA only at lower concentrations (0.01% w/w), suggesting different blends or plant systems may have lower thresholds for significant effects on development [46]. ...
Micro and macroplastics are emerging contaminants in agricultural settings, yet their impact on nitrogen (N) cycling and partitioning in plant-soil-microbial systems is poorly understood. In this mesocosm-scale study, spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was exposed to macro or microplastic produced from low density polyethylene (LDPE) or biodegradable plastic at concentrations equivalent to 1, 10 and 20 years of plastic mulch film use. Partitioning of 15N-labelled fertiliser into plant biomass, soil and leachate yielded a partial mass balance. Soil N partitioning was probed via compound-specific 15N-stable isotope analyses of soil microbial protein. Concentration-dependent decreases in plant 15N uptake occurred with increased leached nitrogen for LDPE microplastic. Assimilation into soil microbial protein was higher for biodegradable plastics, which we associate with early-stage biodegradable plastic degradation. Partitioning of 15N into inorganic soil N pools was affected by LDPE size, with lower assimilation into the microbial protein pool. While microplastics and macroplastics altered soil N cycling, the limited impacts on plant health indicated the threshold for negative effects was not reached at agriculturally relevant concentrations. This study highlights the difference between conventional and biodegradable plastics, and emphasises that the interplay of micro and macroplastics on soil N cycling must be considered in future studies.
... Foram avaliados os efeitos tóxicos pelo crescimento radicular médio dos bulbos de cebola, os citotóxicos pela análise das divisões celulares e índice mitótico e os genotóxicos pelo índice de alterações cromossômicas [16] , onde: a) Comprimento Radicular Médio = somatório do comprimento das raízes / número de raízes medidas; b) Índice Mitótico = número de células em divisão / número de células observadas X 100; c) Índice de Aberrações Cromossômicas = número total de células alteradas / número total de células observadas X 100. ...
... Na avaliação dos aspectos genotóxicos das diferentes infusões de açafrão-da-terra foi utilizado o Índice de Aberrações Cromossômicas [16] , sendo observadas e quantificadas modificações em qualquer fase da mitose (TABELA 3). No estudo de Mendonça et al. [19] , foi avaliado a citotoxicidade e genotoxicidade da curcumina sobre células PC12 e verificado que as concentrações de curcumina até 5,0 g/mL não induziram, significativamente, aberrações cromossômicas, assim como no presente estudo. ...
Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae), also known as turmeric, is native to Southeast Asia and has rhizomes containing curcumin that provide medicinal and culinary uses. In this study, the toxic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic effects of the infuse of Curcuma longa L. rhizomes on the Allium cepa plant test system were evaluated. The infusion of the ground rhizome was used in three concentrations: 10, 20, 40 mg/mL, in addition to a negative control (distilled water) and a positive control (glyphosate). The toxicity effects were obtained by the average root length. The cytotoxic and genotoxic effects were analyzed by the mitotic index and chromosomal aberration index, respectively. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, and means were compared by the Dunnett test 5%. It was observed that the concentration of 10 mg/mL is safe. The concentration of 40 mg/mL was toxic by significantly inhibiting the root growth of bulbs. At concentrations of 20 and 40 mg/mL, there was antiproliferative activity with a significant reduction in the mitotic index. In addition, at a concentration of 20 mg/mL, the presence of binucleated cells was observed, and at a concentration of 40 mg/mL, retardant chromosomes, binucleated cells, and telophase bridges were observed.
... Similar to MN, the study of PP cell frequency (30.61 ± 0.6%) formed with 3-epicaryoptin treatment (150 µg mL −1 ) was similar to the colchicine (200 µg mL −1 ) induced PP cell frequency (32.66 ± 0.79%) (Fig. 6). Polyploidy may be induced when chromosomes fail to separate from each other during cell division due to inhibition of spindle assembly (Palsikowski et al. 2018). Sattler et al. (2016) concluded that colchicine-induced PP cell formation is caused by its binding to αβ-tubulin dimers, which inhibits microtubule polymerization, preventing chromosome migration into the poles and causing them to be dispersed throughout the cytoplasm. ...
Diterpenoid 3-epicaryoptin (C26H36O9) is abundant in the leaves of Clerodendrum inerme, a traditionally used medicinal plant, and has insect antifeedant activities. Here, we aim to explore the cytogenotoxic effects of compound 3-epicaryoptin in Allium cepa root apical meristem cells. 3-epicaryoptin (concentrations of 100, 150, and 200 µg mL⁻¹) and the standard compound colchicine (200 µg mL⁻¹) were applied to A. cepa roots for 2, 4, and 4 + 16 h (4-h treatment followed by 16-h recovery). Cytogenotoxicity was analyzed by studying the root growth retardation (RGR), mitotic index (MI), and chromosomal aberrations. The result showed statistically significant (p < 0.01), concentration-dependent RGR effects of 3-epicaryoptin treatment compared with the negative control. A study of cell frequency in different phases of cell division observed a significant (p < 0.001) increase in the metaphase cell percentage (66.2 ± 0.58%, 150 µg mL⁻¹), which subsequently caused an increase in the frequency of MI (12.29 ± 0.34%, 150 µg mL⁻¹) at 4 h of 3-epicaryoptin treatment and that was comparable with the colchicine action. The cytological study revealed that the 3-epicaryoptin treatment could induce different types of chromosomal abnormalities, such as colchicine-like metaphase, vagrant chromosomes, sticky chromosomes, anaphase bridge, lagging chromosomes, multipolar anaphase-telophase, and an increased frequency of micronuclei and polyploid cells. These findings indicate that 3-epicaryoptin is cytogenotoxic, and thus, C. inerme should be used with caution in traditional medicine.
