GENOTOXICITY OF THE GANGES WATER AT NARORA (UP), INDIA

Water samples were collected from the river Ganga at Narora (U.P.). Hi gh performance liquid chromatography analysis of water samples by the liquid extraction procedure indicated the presence of several pesticid es such as DDT, alpha-BHC, aldrin, endrin and dieldrin at concentratio ns of 1.36, 1.38, 0.95, 0.61 and 0.41 ppb, respectively. The organopho sphorus pesticides such as dimethoate and methyl parathion also appear to be present at concentrations of 0.20 and 0.41 ppb, respectively. T he XAD water concentrates and liquid-liquid extracted water samples we re assayed for mutagenic potential by the Ames Salmonella/microsome te st. The test samples exhibited a significant degree of mutagenicity wi th TA102, TA100 and TA98 strains both in the presence and absence of D NA repair defective mutants, recA, lexA and polA of E. coli was observ ed as compared to their wild-type countepart in the presence of XAD wa ter concentrates.