TESTING MUTAGENICITY IN DRINKING-WATER FR OM DIFFERENT DISTRICTS OF MOSCOW

The mutagenicity of the drinking water from 16 districts of Moscow was investigated by analyzing of chromosome aberrations induced in cells of Crepis capilaris seeds used as a plant test system. Cytogenetic ana lysis revealed mutagenic activity in drinking water samples from four administrative regions, namely the Biryulevo-Zapadnoe district of Sout hern region (2.4%), Obruchevskii district of the Southwestern region ( 1.6%), Severnoe Tushino district of the Northwestern region (1.45%), a nd Perovo district of the Western region (1.18%). The frequency of chr omosome aberrations found was significantly higher than in the spontan eous control (0.37%). Mutagenic activity was not detected in water sam ples taken from the Moscow oblast and from four open reservoirs.