ABSTRACT
Mutagenicity of metasystox and rogor could not be detected on the basis of tests employing Ames Salmonella/microsome assay even in the presence of wheat seedling or rat liver microsomal activation systems.
Subject(s)
Dimethoate/toxicity , Mutation , Organothiophosphorus Compounds/toxicity , Pesticides/toxicity , Animals , Mutagenicity Tests , Rats , Salmonella typhimurium/drug effectsSubject(s)
Mutagens , Pesticides/toxicity , Plants/genetics , Animals , Biological Assay , Bone Marrow/drug effects , Bone Marrow Cells , Chromosome Aberrations/genetics , Histidine/genetics , Micronucleus Tests , Mutagenicity Tests/methods , Mutation , Plants/drug effects , Rats , Salmonella typhimurium/geneticsABSTRACT
Mutagenic effects of carbaryl, a contact insecticide with slight systemic properties, have been investigated employing histidine reversion assay in Salmonella typhimurium strains and in vivo chromosomal aberrations in root meristems of Allium cepa. A detailed investigation revealed that carbaryl did not enhance significantly the frequency of histidine revertants in any of the strains of Salmonella i.e. frameshift mutagen tester (TA98), base pair substitution tester strain (TA1535) and ochre mutant strain (TA102). The supplementation with S9 mix did not have any appreciable effect. S14 prepared from wheat seedlings also did not enhance the reversion frequency significantly. However, carbaryl induced both clastogenic and physiological types of chromosomal aberration. The spectrum of chromosomal aberrations included c-mitosis, stickiness, vagrant chromosomes, polyploidy multi-polarity, delayed anaphases, end to end joining of chromosomes, chromosome breaks, ring chromosomes and anaphase bridges. The frequency of chromosomal aberrations was reduced by transferring the carbaryl treated bulbs to distilled water for 24 and 48 h. Similarly, recovery in the mitotic index was noticed by such transfer. The differences between the two assays may be attributed to differences in the metabolism of the test organisms.
