[Mutagenicity of drinking water in various 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 analysis revealed mutagenic activity in drinking water samples from four administrative regions, namely the Biryulevo-Zapadnoe district of Southern region (2.4%), Obruchevskii district of the Southwestern region (1.61%), Severnoe Tushino district of the Northwestern region (1.45%), and Perovo district of the Western region (1.18%). The frequency of chromosome aberrations found was significantly higher than in the spontaneous control (0.37%). Mutagenic activity was not detected in water samples taken from the Moscow oblast and from four open reservoirs.