Genotoxicity of the Ganges water at Narora (U.P.), India.

Water samples were collected from the river Ganga at Narora (U.P.). High performance liquid chromatography analysis of water samples by the liquid extraction procedure indicated the presence of several pesticides such as DDT, alpha-BHC, aldrin, endrin and dieldrin at concentrations of 1.36, 1.38, 0.95, 0.61 and 0.41 ppb, respectively. The organophosphorus pesticides such as dimethoate and methyl parathion also appear to be present at concentrations of 0.20 and 0.41 ppb, respectively. The XAD water concentrates and liquid-liquid extracted water samples were assayed for mutagenic potential by the Ames Salmonella/microsome test. The test samples exhibited a significant degree of mutagenicity with TA102, TA100 and TA98 strains both in the presence and absence of DNA repair defective mutants, recA, lexA and polA of E. coli was observed as compared to their wild-type counterpart in the presence of XAD water concentrates.