Open Access

ARTICLE

Determination of vanadium accumulation in onion root cells (Allium cepa L.) and its correlation with toxicity

LETTY MARCANO, INGRID CARRUYO, YUSMARY FERNÁNDEZ, XIOMARA MONTIEL, ZAIDA TORREALBA.

Universidad del Zulia. Facultad Experimental de Ciencias. Departamento de Biología. Maracaibo. Estado Zulia. Venezuela.
Address correspondence to: Dra. Letty Marcano. Urbanización Monte Bello. Av 12 con calle Q Nº 12-21, Maracaibo, Estado Zulia, VENEZUELA. Fax: (+58-261) 7483012. E-mail: letty_marcano@hotmail.com; lettymarcano@cantv.net

BIOCELL 2006, 30(2), 259-267. https://doi.org/10.32604/biocell.2006.30.259

Abstract

The vanadium is a metal that presents great interest from the toxicological point of view, because of the numerous alterations that can take place in different biological systems. This work evaluated the capacity of vanadium accumulation and its correlation with genotoxic effects in root cells of Allium cepa L. The bulbs were cultivated in renovated filtered water each 24 h, at a temperature of 25 ± 0.5°C, in darkness and constant aeration. Treatments were carried out under the same experimental conditions, using water solutions of vanadium of 25, 50, 75 and 100μg/g for 0, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. A control was carried out where metal solution was substituted by distilled water. After the treatment, the meristems were fixed with alcohol - acetic acid (3:1) and stained according to the technique of Feulgen. The capacity of accumulation was determined by GFAAS. The analysis of the results revealed an accumulation of the metal for all times and concentrations. No correlation was presented among vanadium accumulation, growth and mitotic index; however, positive correlation was given with the induction of chromosomic aberrations. In conclusion, vanadium is able to induce cytotoxic effect in the exposed roots, but only genotoxic effect was correlated with metal accumulation.

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