Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The micronucleus test with Vicia faba root tip cells was used to study genotoxicity of pollutants from rivers around nuclear facilities. METHODS: 7 samples collected from river of Furong bridge, Fujiang, Anchang, etc. were used to treat V. faba root tip cells directly. Micronuclei frequencies (MNF) and proliferation index (PI) were determined and statistics analyses were performed to evaluate the difference in MNF among different samples. RESULTS: There was significant differences in MNF for every site. PI values of 5 sites among 7 sampled sites were over 2, and it is highly significant compared with the contrast one (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The results show that the sampling points of radiation pollution levels were lower than the national standard limit value. However, water pollution of the rivers around the nuclear facilities was mainly caused by cross-strait industrial, life, and gabage pollution. Radioactive effluent generated by nuclear facilities operation affected the public and the environment lightly.

Key words: Vicia faba root tip cell, micronucleus frequency, water pollution index, nuclear facilite