Evaluation of Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity of Treated Wastewater on Animal Model

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Professor, Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo Egypt

2 School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo, Badr City, Cairo Egypt.

3 Assistant Consultant, Medical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The water is important for all the living organisms. According to statistics, there is a problem in providing water for agriculture. Therefore, sewage treatment was resorted to. Wastewater contamination presents significant environmental and health challenges, but its comprehensive genetic and cellular impacts remain unclear. This study explored the genotoxic effects of different wastewater types on male albino mice, examining treated domestic (DWW), irrigation (IWW), and raw (RWW) wastewater sources. Twenty-five male mice were divided into five groups and exposed to various wastewater treatments for fifty days. Chemical analyses revealed that RWW and IWW contained significantly higher levels of pollutants and heavy metals comparing to FAW standards, whereas DWW was within acceptable limits. Histological examination of liver tissues indicated severe hydropic degeneration in RWW-treated mice. Chromosomal aberration analysis of bone marrow cells demonstrated a marked increase in structural and numerical aberrations in wastewater-treated groups, particularly in mice exposed to RWW and IWW. The mitotic index declined significantly with increasing wastewater contamination levels. Our study also evaluated the expression of apoptosis-regulating genes (P53, Bcl2, and Bax) in liver mice. The results showed significant damage associated with long-term use of wastewater. Compared to control, increased water pollution upregulated the expression of P53 and Bax while downregulating Bcl-2 expression. Notably, the MMC group (positive control) exhibited the most pronounced genotoxic and cytotoxic effects. These findings underscore the potential risks of using inadequately treated wastewater and highlight the importance of stringent wastewater management to mitigate environmental and health risks.

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