There is a paucity of information on the genotoxicity of e-waste, although a few reports exist such as
Alabi and Bakare [7] and Bakare et al. [8], which reported the cytogenotoxicity and mutagenicity of ewaste
in plant and animal systems. Informal e-waste dumpsites may contain toxic trace metals and
organic contaminants which may be concentrated in surface and groundwater supplies around these ewaste
dumpsites through lateral and vertical transfer of contaminants. Such contaminants may become
bio-accumulated in aquatic organisms, become biomagnified in fish that are at the top of the aquatic
food chain, and can ultimately affect humans who feed on such fishes. It has therefore become imperative
to monitor and evaluate the potential cytogenotoxic effect of e-waste using Allium cepa assay, a quick,
efficient, simple but sensitive cytotological bioassay. Environmental pollution has been assessed by the
in vivo onion (Allium cepa) root tip cell test which is known to give similar result to the in vitro animal
cytotoxicity test [7,8]. Allium cepa test has also been used by many authors to evaluate cytotoxicity and
genotoxicity of industrial leachates [9,10], and its results are widely accepted as reconnaissance for
toxicity testing in biological systems.
In this study, we investigated the cytogenotoxicity potential of e-waste from a major electronic market
in Rivers State, Nigeria using a higher plant monitoring system, the Allium cepa assays.