Assessment of genotoxic risks of technogenic pollution of agricultural soils

Introduction. Monitoring of soil pollution in man-made and natural areas is an essential part of the ecotoxicological testing system for the state of the environment. In modern conditions of agricultural production, soil pollution with heavy metals (HM) and pesticides is a pressing issue, including in Armenia. HM and pesticides can destroy ecosystems, impede plant growth, and have a detrimental effect on human well-being. Materials and methods. Biotesting of the potential mutagenicity level of soil samples from three agricultural sites in the northeastern areas of Armenia was carried out in the Summer, taking into account the content of HM and pesticides in them. To determine the genetic effects in soil samples, a test for the detection of somatic mutations (Trad-SHM) and a micronucleus test (Trad-MCN) of the model test object Tradescantia (clone 02) were used.Results. According to the main test criteria of both assays, the maximum level of point recessive mutations and frequency of micronuclei was established in soil samples of the pesticide-treated areas of the Lichk area, where their values were 3.6 times higher than the background level according to the Trad-MCN test and 13.9 times higher according to the Trad-SHM test, respectively. A statistically significant positive correlation was shown between the frequency of micronuclei and the concentration of As (p < 0.01; p < 0.001) in the studied soil samples. A significant positive correlation was also found between colorless mutations and stunted stamen hairs in the flower of Tradescantia and the chemical components As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn ( p < 0.01; p < 0.001) in the studied soil samples. Limitations. This paper presents the results of the total mutagenic activity of the studied soil samples, taking into account their multicomponent composition in the soil-plant system.Conclusion. It is recommended to continue such studies using model test systems aimed at identifying the long-term effects of HM and pesticides on ecosystems and human health, taking into account seasonal changes.Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require the submission of a biomedical ethics committee opinion or other documents.Contribution: Atoyants A.L. – the concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material; Avalyan R.E. – the concept and design of the study, writing text, statistical processing, editing. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.Funding. The study had no sponsorship.Received: January 29, 2025 / Accepted: March 26, 2025 / Published: July 31, 2025

soil pollution, pesticides, heavy metals, Tradescantia (clone 02), mutagenic potential