Summary
Microbial mutagenicity screening studies employing Ames tests were done on 228 pesticides. As a result, 50 compounds showed mutagenicity and five of them required metabolic activation for their activities. Among the various compound groups, organic phosphates, halogenated alkanes and dithiocarbamates contained mutagens at a higher ratio. Mutagenicity of these pesticides was less potent than that of other mutagens. Cytogenetic studies on the pesticides which were positive in microbial assays revealed a good correlation between the ability to induce sister chromatid exchanges or chromosomal aberrations and the mutagenic potency in bacteria. Dominant lethal studies on 1, 2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) and ethylene dibromide (EDB) disclosed that DBCP gave positive results in rats but not in mice, although EDB was negative in both species. DBCP was also positive in a sex-linked recessive lethal test using Drosophila melanogaster. Occupational exposure to pesticides, especially gaseous ones like DBCP, in industry or in agriculture seems hazardous from the genetic toxicological point of view.
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© 1984 Plenum Press, New York
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Shirasu, Y., Moriya, M., Tezuka, H., Teramoto, S., Ohta, T., Inoue, T. (1984). Mutagenicity of Pesticides. In: Chu, E.H.Y., Generoso, W.M. (eds) Mutation, Cancer, and Malformation. Environmental Science Research, vol 31. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2399-0_28
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2399-0_28
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