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The short-time (30 hours) and chronic (30 days) 232Th and Cd combined effects on Tradescantia and Allium cepa plants were investigated. The 232Th ion concentration was equal to 0.18 mg/l and Cd ion--to 60 mg/l. The early response of both somatic and generative plant cells on Th and Cd combined action was shown to appear in synergic increase of cytogenetic damage frequency. The level of genotoxic and cytotoxic long-term effects turned out to be lower than of the additive one both under the chronic as under the short-time action. These similar in result responses occur on different biological organization levels: in the case of short-time action the effects observed are detected by the intracellular compensatory processes, and in the case of chronic action by the mass death of the most damaged buds in the inflorescence.

Effects of separate and combined action of 232Th and Cd on Allium cepa root tip cells were investigated. It has been shown that cytogenetic effects of 232Th results mainly from its ability to induce genome damages. Cadmium in the examined concentration does not induce chromosomal vagrants, and this effect is not intensified by the combined action of 232Th and Cd (with 232Th). Cd induced increased aberrations of chromosome type frequency (1.5 times more than in control group), and fragment frequence, while mitotic index was significantly decreased. While taking into consideration the frequency of anaphase--telophase damages, and the number of aberrations per cell, the combined effects of 232Th and Cd may be considered as synergic. The aberration type ratio, frequencies of bridges and fragments, and also the level of proliferative activity of 232Th and Cd in the presence of both ions were similar with the corresponding parameters obtained when Cd acted alone. Possible mechanisms of formation of 232Th and Cd synergic effects are discussed.