Investigation of the phytotoxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of light cigarette butts water with different test methods

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the phytotoxic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic effects of aqueous solutions got from smoked light cigarette butts and unsmoked light cigarette filters randomly collected from ashtrays in Aydın Adnan Menderes University Central Campus and around the campus by using different test systems and to reveal the effects of cigarette butt wastes, which are ignored, on both environmental pollution and living organisms. In the literature review, we found no example of a study on this subject in our country. This thesis is the first thesis on this subject. Materials and Methods: Vigna radiata L. (mung bean) germination test and Allium cepa L. rooting test were used to determine the possible phytotoxic effect of smoked light cigarette butts and non-smoked light cigarette filter water prepared at different concentrations (6.25 %, 12.5 %, 25 %, 50 %, and 100 %). Relative growth index (RGI), germination index (GI), germination percentage, and biomass were also calculated. Allium Test was used to determine the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, and microscopic examinations calculated the mitotic index (MI) and chromosomal damage. Artemia salina Viability Test was used to determine the cytotoxic effect and LC50 values were determined by Probit analysis. Results: Smoked light cigarette butt juice and non-smoked light cigarette filter water increased the germination success on the second and fifth day following seed germination in V. radiata, and this increase was higher in the smoked light cigarette butt juice group. In V. radiata seeds treated with smoked light cigarette butt juice, there was a significant decrease in both root length and shoot length with increasing concentration, and it inhibited root growth at all concentrations except 6.25 % concentration. According to the wet and dry weight and biomass calculations, it was determined that biomass decreased with increasing concentration in both groups. A. cepa phytotoxicity test results also showed that the number of roots decreased with the increase in the concentration of smoked light cigarette butt juice, and we found the highest decrease in the highest treatment (100 %) group. The average root length measured in the smoked light cigarette butt juice group decreased with increasing concentration compared to the control group, and there were significant reductions in root growth at 25 %, 50 %, and 100 % concentrations, and growth was inhibited. In the non-smoked light cigarette filter water group, the reduction in root growth occurred after 50 % and 100 % treatment, but this reduction was less compared to the smoked cigarette butt group. In A. cepa root tip meristem cells treated with smoked light cigarette butt juice, the mitotic index % (MI %) value decreased as the concentration of smoked light cigarette butt juice increased and positively correlated with increasing concentration. Treatment with non-smoked light cigarette filter water also resulted in a slight decrease in the % mitotic index (% MI) value with increasing concentration, but this decrease was less than the decrease observed because of smoked light cigarette butt water treatment. Treatment with ligth cigarette butt juice increased the frequency of chromosomal damage in A. cepa root tip dividing meristem cells. The most common chromosomal damages were fragments, chromatid bridging, chromatid mis-polarization, and chromosome adhesion, while micronucleus was the least common damage. Probit analysis of the A. salina viability assay revealed that 24 h treatment with smoked light cigarette butt water at 100 % concentration had a deleterious effect on A. salina larvae and 48 h treatment was toxic, while treatment with non-smoked light cigarette filter water between 10-1000 ppm was non-toxic after a similar period. Conclusion: The data got in this thesis showed that smoked light cigarette butt water was more toxic to V. radiata, A. cepa, and A. salina larvae than non-smoked light cigarette filter water and that the phytotoxic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic effects increased with increasing concentration. Keywords: Allium cepa, Artemia salina, Cytotoxicity, Genotoxicity, Light cigarette butt, Vigna radiata