The cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of drinking water in Taiz City, Yemen

الملخص EN

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of drinking water obtained from network that supply population of Taiz city in Yemen by using mitotic index (MI) and micronuclei (MN) test.

Two samples of water were collected; one (S) was obtained from the main station of drinking water distribution at the local cooperation of water and sanitation Taiz city and another sample (H) was taken from a house tap water located about 1 km north of the station.

The cytotoxic effect of water samples reduced the MI of the bone marrow cells of mice.

This effect found to be similar to that caused by the cyclophosphamide (CP).

On the other hand, the genotoxic effect of drinking water was obvious and reflected on increasing the MN of the polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) of bone marrow cells of mice, but the effect was weak compared to that caused by CP.

The house tap water was more effective in increasing MN induction than the source water.