Influence of climatic conditions on the mutations in pollen mother cells of Tradescantia clone 4430 and implications for the Trad-MCN bioassay protocol.

The present was study aimed at investigating the influence of relative humidity and temperature on spontaneous and pollution-induced mutation rates during exposure and recovery periods in the Trad-MCN test. Cuttings of Tradescantia clone 4430 were exposed to a negative control, to 4 mM maleic hydrazide (MH), and to a polluted water sample under varying conditions of air temperature and humidity in climatic chamber experiments. The relative humidity did not affect the spontaneous mutation rate in the clone investigated, but was negatively correlated with the frequency of pollution-induced mutations.

A new approach for biological online testing of stack gas condensate from municipal waste incinerators.

A biological testing system for the monitoring of stack gas condensates of municipal waste incinerators has been developed using Euglena gracilis as a test organism. The motility, velocity and cellular form of the organisms were the endpoints, calculated by an image analysis system. All endpoints showed statistically significant changes in a short time when organisms were exposed to samples collected during combustion situations with increased pollutant concentrations.