The active ingredient glyphosate is the most commercialized herbicide on the world market due to its capability in eliminating weeds. However, it can harm the development of non-target organisms and threaten environmental quality. This study analyzed the effects of potentially toxic concentrations of glyphosate on germination, growth, cell cycle and genomic stability of Lactuca sativa L., and identified the most sensitive variables for assessing the toxicity of this herbicide to this biomonitor. Seeds of L. sativa were germinated in Petri dishes containing a sheet of filter paper moistened with 5 mL of a concentration of glyphosate (1.34, 3.35, 6.70, 10.05, 13.40 mg L-1). Controls consisted of distilled water (negative) and 3 mg L-1 CuSO4 (positive). Macroscopic and microscopic variables were analyzed. The germination of L. sativa was not affected by the concentrations of glyphosate. Root length and shoot height of the plants and the mitotic index decreased from the lowest concentration tested on. The chromosomal anomaly index and frequency of micronuclei increased by 3.2 and 22 times, respectively, with the presence of the lowest concentration of glyphosate compared to the negative control. The observed phytotoxic and cytogenotoxic effects demonstrate the negative influence that glyphosate has on the development of L. sativa. Root length and microscopic variables showed the highest sensitivity. This study warns of the possible harmful effects that glyphosate can have on non-target organisms and suggests greater control over the use of this herbicide to mitigate its environmental impact.
The accentuated increase in the production of solid urban waste (SUW) and the consequent accumulation of leachate in landfills increase the risk of environmental contamination. Biomonitors are used to assess the toxicity of pollutants on living organisms. In this study, the pollutant potential of leachate from SUW from a deactivated landfill was evaluated by bioassays with Lactuca sativa L. and Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., and the relationship between chemical characteristics of the effluent and biological parameters was analyzed. The effluent was tested in its raw form and diluted in distilled water at concentrations of 75 and 50%. The percentage of germination, root growth (RG), mitotic index (MI), chromosomal abnormalities index (CAI), and micronuclei frequency (MCN) were analyzed. In the presence of effluent, germination and MI decreased, while RG, CAI and MCN frequencies increased in relation to the negative control (distilled water) for both species. Lead, iron and zinc presented negative relation with seed germination for both species, with RG of L. sativa and MI of L. esculentum, as well as a positive relation with MCN frequency in the studied species. Because of its larger chromosomes, L. sativa is a more suitable biomonitor of SUW leachate toxicity than L. esculentum. Even though the landfill is deactivated, it is necessary to treat this effluent, in order to minimize environmental impacts.
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