Monitoring wastewater discharge of nonferrous metal smeltery using MCN test of Vicia faba root tips.

Micronucleus(MCN)test of horsebean(Vicia faba)root tips is conducted to monitor the water pollution caused by a large smeltery in Qujing,Yunnan Province. Both effluent samples from its wastewater outfall and surface water samples from the nearby lake went through the chemical analysis regarding Pb,Zn2+,Cd,As,Hg,cyanide, phenol and MCN test at the same time. The result has proved that MCN test based on the genetic toxicity of the industrial contaminants can be used as an auxiliary measure of the routine analysis.