Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
tion. Coal, slag, and ash resulting from pyrolysis contain 7-10 times more of primary
radionuclides than soil (potassium—40-400
Bq
/
kg
, uranium-238 and -235—150
Bq
/
kg
) [8]. Volatile ash is taken up by hot gases, and it partially enters the atmosphere and
is absorbed by soil surface [13]. Therefore, it can be assumed that the main mutagens
that contaminate adjacent areas of Burshtynska TPS are heavy metals and natural ra-
dioisotopes. A recently developed system of ecologic-genetic monitoring envisages
bioindication of mutagens of the environment with the help of a cytogenetic analysis.
Its advantage is the feasibility of getting mutagen estimation of natural environment
regardless of the composition of contaminating substances [15]. To perform monitor-
ing of real environmental pollution with potentially harmful compounds (in genetic
sense), plant test systems, to which soft wheat was included, are the most appropriate
(
T. aestivum
) [20, 21].
The analysis of chromosome aberration frequency in meristem cells of winter
wheat roots, whose seeds were germinated in soil samples taken near Burshtynska
TPS, showed its growth by 1.9-2.5 times (as compared with control) for cultivar
'Albatross odeskyi' and by 1.5-2.4 times for 'Zymoiarka' cultivar (Table 21.1). The
largest number of chromosome aberrations was recorded with the contamination ef-
fect of the soil in 3-6 km zone. There was no frequency excess of aberrated cells of
plantlets, which were affected by soil factors when compared to control level (a soil
sample was taken at a distance of 1-12 km from the source of pollution). However,
soil pollution in 1 km area from TPS caused 1.47 ± 0.10 percent cells with chromo-
some disorders in meristem roots of Zymoiarka plantlets, which certainly exceeded
control indices (0.75 ± 0.25%). The analyses of toxic element content in the soil near
Burshtynska TPS (according to the data of other authors [13, 22]) showed their maxi-
mal accumulation in the area of 3-8 km from the source of contamination toward
prevailing winds. Lead, even in small concentrations, is one of the most dangerous
pollutants of the environment, which can depress reparatory processes, enhancing in
turn genetic after-effects of low radiation doses [23-25]. Based on the results received,
it can be assumed that an increased level of chromosome aberrations caused by soil
contaminants is the outcome of a synergistic effect of at least two mutagen factors—
lead and primary radionuclides.
The increase of a cytogenetic disorder level was observed with the effect of soil
pollutants in the area of ash-disposal No 1. The frequency of the cells with chromo-
some disorders was at the level of 1.63 ± 0.38 percent in wheat of 'Albatross odeskyi'
cultivar and 1.32 ± 0.35 percent in 'Zymoiarka,' which exceeded control level by 3.0
and 1.8 times, respectively.
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