HEAVY METAL TOXICITY AND GENOTOXICITY IN WATER AND SEWAGE DETERMINED BY MICROBIOLOGICAL METHODS

Comparison of 4 bioassays [Salmonella typhimurium and E.coli mutagenicity test, SOS-beta-galactosidase genotoxicity test, Mutatox assay, Microtox assay and spectrometric assay of respiratory inhibition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pseudomonas fluorescens], potentially useful for the determination of acute toxicity and genotoxicity of heavy metals (cadmium, copper, chromium, mercury, nickel, zinc) dissolved in deionized water and sewage - Classification according to their IC50 :with the toxicity assays = Hg>Cr>Cd=Cu=Zn>Ni and with the genotoxicity assays = Hg>Cr>Cu=Cd=Ni>Zn - Conclusion on the importance to use these assays in battery strategy for the evaluation of the toxicity of wastewater contaminated with heavy metals.