Coking wastewater has caused serious health risk in coal-producing areas of China, however its toxic efects have not been well understood. The genotoxicity induced by coking wastewater on mice in vivo and its possible oxidative mechanisms were investigated via observing the induction of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes of mouse bone marrow, and subsequently determining the antioxidative enzyme activities(superoxide dismutase Cu, Zn-SOD, Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase, and catalase), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance contents and protein carbonyl levels in brains and livers of mice. Results showed that the tested coking wastewater caused a significant increase of micronucleus frequencies in a concentration-dependent manner. Also, the sample increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation levels, which was accompanied by changes in antioxidative status. Interestingly, pre-treatment with an antioxidant(vitamin C) led to a statistical reduction in the micronucleus frequency caused by coking wastewater. This implies that coking wastewater induces evident genetic damage in mammalian cells, and exposure to polluted areas might pose a potential genotoxic risk to human beings; in the process, oxidative stress played a crucial role.
