Research Journal of Mutagenesis1994-7917xxxx-xxxxAsian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/rjmutag.2011.1.9Allium cepa Assay]]>OlorunfemiD. I.OkolokoG. E.BakareA. A.AkinboroA. 1201111Agricultural wastes generated from pilled cassava tubers contribute significantly to pollution of the environment. In this study, we investigated the potential genotoxic effects of the effluents obtained from the processing of cassava tubers into three popular Nigerian cassava meals; garri, lafun and akpu using the modified Allium cepa assay. A series of 10 onion bulbs were cultivated in 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 10% concentrations (effluents, v/v) of each of the test samples (garri, lafun and akpu). At 48 h, root tips from the treated bulbs were processed for cytological studies by the acetocarmine or orcein-orcein squash technique. At 72 h, their cytotoxic effects on the onion root tips showed strong growth retardation in high concentrations of all the effluents with EC50 values of 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5% for garri, lafun and akpu effluents, respectively while total phytotoxic effects was induced by the undiluted effluents. The physico-chemical properties of the effluents revealed the presence of significant amounts of cyanide and heavy metals. Root length inhibition, breakages and malformations were characterized by the presence of crochet hooks and c-tumors at low effluent concentrations (10-1, 10-2 and 10-3%). There was a rapid decrease in mitotic index with increasing effluent concentration. Effluents-induced chromosome aberrations in the root tip cells were statistically significant (p<0.05). The present findings indicate that the substances contained in the cassava effluents may be toxic to living organisms and may pollute the environment.]]>Adeyemo, O.K.,2005Clarias gariepinus.]]>8179183APHA, AWWA and WEF.,199820th Edn.,Pages: 1220Pages: 1220Babatunde, B.B. and A.A. Bakare,2006Allium test.]]>25227234Bakare, A.A., A. Lateef, O.S. Amuda and R.O. Afolabi,200351117Bakare, A.A. and A.R. Wale-Adeyemo,2004Allium cepa.]]>3455462Bakare, A.A., A.A. Okunola, O.A. Adetunji and H.B. Jenmi,200932373381Bokanga, M.,2001pp: 32pp: 32FAO,20042004Fawole, O.O., T.A. Yekeen, A.A. Ayandele, A. Akinboro, M.A. Azeez and S.O. Adewoye,2008Allium cepa root cells.]]>7450458FEPA,19911991pp: 157-219pp: 157-219Fiskesjo, G.,1988Allium test: An alternative in environmental studies: The relative toxicity of metal ions.]]>197243269Fiskesjo, G.,1997Allium Test for Screening Chemicals: Evaluation of Cytologic Parameters.]]>1997pp: 308-333pp: 308-333Ivanova, E., T. Staikova and I. Velcheva,2002Pisum sativum plant in vivo.]]>3307310Kumar, A.R.G.,2008Allium cepa L.]]>9131135Lancaster, P.A., J.S. Ingram, M.Y. Lim and D.G. Coursey,1982361245Nweke, F.I. and M. Bokanga,1994375401412Odeigah, P.G.C., O. Nurudeen and O.O. Amund,1997126161167Ogboghodo, I.A., I.O. Osemwota, S.O. Eke and A.E. Iribhogbe,2001Manihot esculenta crantz) mill grating effluent on the textural, chemical and biological properties of surrounding soils.]]>2292301Ogboghodo, I.A., A.P. Oluwafemi and S.M. Ekeh,2006116419425Okafor, N., C. Umeh and C. Ibenegbu,1998garri, a fermented food derived from cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz, by the inoculation into cassava mash, of microorganisms simultaneously producing amylase, linamarase and lysine.]]>147885Osiru, D.S.O., M.C.M. Porto and I.J. Ekanayake,19953rd Edn.,pp: 22pp: 22Oyewole, O.B. and S.A. Odunfa,19885125133Padmaja, G. and K.H. Steinkraus,199535299339Seetharaman, N., D. Dhanavel and B. Vembu,2004Allium cepa.]]>3481484Staykova, T.A., E.N. Ivanova and I.G. Velcheva,200544146Ubalua, A.O.,2007620652073UNESCO/WHO/UNEP,19921992pp: 51-119pp: 51-119USEPA,19881988USEPA,1996Wade, J.M., E. Omoregie and I. Ezenwaka,2002Manihot esculenta Crantz) effluent on the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) under laboratory conditions.]]>178994Wheatley, C.C., J.C. Lozano, J. Marriott and W.W. Schwabe,19841984pp: 419429Westby, A.,1991380249255Westby, A. and D.R. Twiddy,19928175182ASTM,19941994Olorunfemi, D.I., E.O. Emoefe and F.E. Okieimen,20082221227Olorunfemi, D., H. Obiaigwe and E. Okieimen,20071166172