Genotoxicity Assessment of Heavy Metal–Contaminated Soils

Abstract

The soil environment is a major sink for multitude of chemicals and heavy metals, which inevitably leads to environmental contamination problems. Indeed, a plethora of different types of heavy metals are used and emanated through various industrial activities. Millions of tonnes of trace elements are produced every year from the mines in demands for newer materials. On being discharged into soil, the heavy metals get accumulated and may disturb the soil ecosystem, plant productivity, and also pose threat to human health and environment. Therefore, the ­establishment of efficient and inexpensive methodology and techniques for identifying and limiting or preventing metal pollution, causing threats to the agricultural production systems and human health, is earnestly required. The possible genotoxic effects of heavy metals on plants and other organisms have been extensively investigated worldwide and sufficiently discussed in this chapter. Also, the development and applications of new biomonitoring methodologies for assessment of soil genotoxicity have been emphasized. The molecular techniques being employed either alone or in combination for detecting the DNA damage induced by heavy metal–contaminated soils and other potentially genotoxic compounds are adequately elaborated. Indeed, the combination of two techniques leads to the precise and efficient detection and quantification of the sublethal genotoxic effects induced in the plant bioindicators by contaminated soil. Thus, the application of biomonitoring protocols in conjunction with the genotoxic assessment of contaminated soil will be advantageous in effective management of heavy metal–polluted soils.