Hospital waste incinerator bottom ash leachate induced cyto-genotoxicity in Allium cepa and reproductive toxicity in mice

• Published in: Toxicology and industrial health Vol. 27; no. 6; pp. 505 - 514
• Main Authors: Akinbola, Temitayo I, Adeyemi, Adetutu, Morenikeji, Olajumoke A, Bakare, Adekunle A, Alimba, Chibuisi G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.07.2011; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Allium cepa; Animals; Ashes; By products; Chemicals; Fluid dynamics; Hazardous Waste - adverse effects; Hazardous Waste - analysis; Heavy metals; Hospitals; Incineration; Incinerators; Industrial Waste - adverse effects; Industrial Waste - analysis; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Landfill; Leachates; Male; Medical Waste Disposal; Medical wastes; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Mice; Morphology; Mortality; Onions - drug effects; Onions - growth & development; Plant Roots - drug effects; Plant Roots - growth & development; Pollutants; Reproduction - drug effects; Simulation; Sperm; Spermatogenesis - drug effects; Spermatozoa - drug effects; Spermatozoa - pathology; Toxicity; Toxicology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Zoology; Nigeria; genotoxicity; Bottom ash; Allium cepa; hospital wastes; sperm morphology; leachate; mice
• ISSN: 0748-2337; 1477-0393
• DOI: 10.1177/0748233710391991

The potentials of hospital incinerator bottom ash leachate (HIBAL) to induce cyto-genotoxicity in Allium cepa and reproductive anomalies in the mouse were investigated. The leachate obtained from simulation of the bottom ash was analyzed for some physico-chemical parameters. The A. cepa, mouse sperm morphology and histopathological tests were carried out at concentrations ranging from 1% to 50% of the leachate sample. In A. cepa, HIBAL caused significant (p < 0.05) inhibition of root growth and induction of chromosomal aberrations. In the animal assays, there was 100% mortality at the 50% concentrations. The leachate caused insignificant (p > 0.05) concentration-dependent induction of various types of sperm morphology. There was accumulation of fluid in the seminiferous tubule lumen and necrosis of stem cells in the testes. These effects were believed to be provoked by the somatic and germ cell genotoxins, particularly the heavy metals in the leachate. Our finding is of environmental and public health significance.