Air quality biomonitoring in the Guaiúba Chemical Park using Tradescantia pallida var. purpurea: genotoxic effects assessed by micronucleus and stamen hair mutation bioassays associated with climate data

Atmospheric pollution affects human health and ecosystem stability, being linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Biomonitoring with Tradescantia pallida var. purpurea (Rose) D.R. Hunt is a sensitive, low-cost method for detecting genotoxic effects of air pollutants. This study evaluated air quality in the Guaiúba Chemical Park (GCP) using the stamen-hair mutation assay (TRAD-SH) and the micronucleus test (TRAD-MCN), along with climate and pollutant data. The experimental, quantitative research was conducted from February to July 2024 at two sites: the Seedling Production Unit of the Auroras Campus (SPUAC) and GCP. Data were collected biweekly via bioassays and climate/pollutant databases (CPTEC, The Weather Channel). Cells were examined under stereomicroscope and optical microscopy. Data analysis included Two-Way ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation. Significant temporal differences were found for TRAD-SH (F = 2.589, p < 0.01; ήp² = 0.227) and TRAD-MCN (F = 4.483, p < 0.01; ղp² = 0.362), but no significant spatial differences were observed between SPUAC and GCP (TRAD-SH: F = 0.195, p > 0.05; ήp² = 0.002; TRAD-MCN: F = 0.905, p > 0.05; ղp² = 0.011). Micronucleus frequency correlated with ozone at SPUAC (rs = 0.663, p < 0.05) and PM10 at GCP (rs = 0.639, p < 0.05); PM2.5 correlated with cloud cover (rs = 0.669, p < 0.05). The findings indicate similar genotoxic impact across sites, reinforcing the need for ongoing biomonitoring and deeper investigation into air pollution's biological effects.