Genotoxicity of the Herbicide 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D): Higher Plants as Monitoring Systems

Higher plants provide valuable genetic assay systems for screening and monitoring environmental pollutants. They are now recognized as excellent indicators of mutagenic effects of environmental chemicals and are applicable for the detection of environmental mutagens both indoor and outdoor. 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a herbicide commonly used in agriculture. The residues of 2,4-D are present in air, water, soil and edible plants. It constitutes a real hazard to the public health because it's wide spread use in agriculture. Genotoxic effects of 2,4-D on plant cells and potential of higher plants as a biomonitoring system for detecting chemical mutagens are evaluated. It is recommended that higher plant systems have been accepted by regulatory authorities as an alternative biomonitoring system for the detection of possible genetic damage resulting from pollution and the use of environmental chemicals.