Evaluation of genotoxicity of a technical grade organophosphate insecticide, Tafethion (ethion), in chicks.

Abstract

The genotoxicity of a technical grade organophosphate insecticide, Tafethion (ethion), was evaluated in a chick in vivo test system employing the chromosome aberration assay (CA). Chicks in their neonatal life period are particularly susceptible to environmental contaminants due to the high rate of cell proliferation and ongoing process of development. This provides a new methodology to screen the genotoxic effect of environmental pollutants. The chemical was tested for three different doses (20, 15 and 10 mg/kg b.w.), in two routes of administration (i.p. and p.o.), after three different durations of acute exposure (6, 24 and 48 h) as well as chronic exposure (4 mg/kg day for 5 days), for the induction of chromosomal aberrations. Mitomycin C was used as the positive control. In general, the chemical induced higher frequencies of chromosomal aberrations than the controls, indicating the genotoxic property of the chemical in the tested system.

• Authors: S P Bhunya, G B Jena
• Journal: In vivo (Athens, Greece) (In Vivo) 1994 Nov-Dec Vol. 8 Issue 6 Pg. 1087-9 ISSN: 0258-851X [Print] Greece
• PMID: 7772742 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Insecticides
• Mutagens
• Organothiophosphorus Compounds
• ethion

Topics

• Animals
• Chickens (genetics)
• Chromosome Aberrations
• Insecticides (toxicity)
• Mutagenicity Tests
• Mutagens (toxicity)
• Organothiophosphorus Compounds (toxicity)