Relation between soil contamination with metals in military training grounds and genotoxicity revealed by Tradescantia assays

Abstract

The genotoxicity of H2O and DMSO extracts from four military grounds left after the Soviet Army was examined by Trad-MCN and Trad-SHM assays. In each military ground, two contrasting points were chosen and the content of 29 elements in soil samples used for genotoxicity investigation was determined. The highest contamination with metals in soil samples from Zokniai was in full agreement with the highest genotoxicity both for H2O or DMSO extracts. The Trad-MCN assay was better to reveal it. Multiple regression analysis showed a statistically significant correlation (R2) between MCN frequencies and soil contamination with Co, Zn, Mo, Cr, Sc, V, and only the Trad-SHM assay Yb revealed. Keywords: soil genotoxicity, military grounds, Tradescantia, MCN and SHM assays, correlation metal / MCN