Use of plant toxicity assays to evaluate a mobile solvent extraction system for remediation of soil from a hazardous waste site

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis

OSTI ID:115139

Meier, J R; Chang, L; Meckes, M ^[1]

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1. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH (United States); and others

Soil from a site heavily contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls and several other organic and inorganic compounds was treated with a full-scale, mobile solvent extraction system, which is being evaluated by the USEPA`s Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) program. The present study employed several plant bioassays to examine the genotoxicity and acute toxicity of the soil before and after the treatment. The toxicity endpoints were mitotic alterations in root tip cells of Allium cepa (common onion), micronuclei in pollen mother cells of Tradescantia, and seed germination and root elongation in oats and lettuce. Bulbs or inflorescences of Allium and Tradescantia, respectively, were exposed to aqueous extracts (20% w/v) of the soils at three concentrations (undiluted, 1/2, or 1/4). Oat and lettuce seeds were exposed to the soils mixed with sand at concentrations from 25 to 100% (w/w). The results were as follows: (1) no evidence of genotoxicity for either the untreated or treated soils in Tradescantia; (2) dose-related increases in chromosomal aberrations for both soils in Allium; (3) inhibition of seed germination for lettuce but not oats for both soils; (4) inhibition of root elongation for both lettuce and oats for the treated soil. The toxicity and genotoxicity remaining after treatment appears to be due to residual solvent introduced during the solvent extraction treatment process, or to inorganic contaminants not removed by the treatment.

• OSTI ID: 115139
• Report Number(s): CONF-9503160--
• Journal Information: Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis, Journal Name: Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis Journal Issue: Suppl.25 Vol. 25; ISSN 0893-6692; ISSN EMMUEG
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
EVALUATION
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
REMEDIAL ACTION
SOILS
TOXICITY
TRADESCANTIA