Plant Bioassay in Cytogenetic Monitoring for the Review of the Environmental Toxins

Throughout history, human beings have caused irreversible changes to the environment. However, with the emergence of modern science in recent decades, scientists have been able to quantify the extent of these changes. It is therefore crucial to monitor the environment comprehensively in order to establish laws and standards that ensure its cleanliness. Traditional chemical analysis methods often do not adhere to the twelve principles of Green Chemistry, are costly, and involve large amounts of toxic and harmful solvents that can harm the environment. As a result, it is essential to develop reliable analytical techniques that meet the requirements of Green Analytical Chemistry, complement, or replace traditional classical methods, and are environmentally friendly. Bioassays offer a potential alternative. It has long been acknowledged that high plants, particularly Vicia faba, are excellent genetic models for identifying mutagenic and cytogenetic agents and are commonly used in environmental monitoring studies. V. faba-based bioassays have been employed to investigate the DNA damage caused by various substances, such as metal compounds, pesticides, complex mixtures, petroleum derivatives, toxins, nanoparticles, and industrial effluents, resulting in chromosomal and nuclear errors. V. faba's test system is widely used to assess toxic agents due to its numerous advantages, and it has become a crucial bioassay for ecotoxicological studies. The aim of this study was to demonstrate how V. faba bioassays can be complementary alternatives to traditional analysis methods, satisfy Green Analytical Chemistry criteria, and comply with environmental monitoring laws and regulations.