STUDIES ON THE GENOTOXICITY OF MONOCROTOPHOS, AN ORGANOPHOSPHATE INSECTICIDE, IN THE CHICK IN-VIVO TEST SYSTEM

The mutagenic potential of an organophosphate pesticide, monocrotophos, was evaluated in the chick in vivo system using the chromosome aberration (CA) assay in bone marrow cells and the micronucleus test (MNT) in both bone marrow and peripheral blood erythrocytes. A significant induction of chromosome aberrations was observed only after 24 h of exposure with the highest dose (5 mg/kg). In general, monocrotophos induced a significantly higher incidence of micronuclei in bone marrow and peripheral blood erythrocytes over controls. From the present results it is concluded that monocrotophos is genotoxic in this in vivo test system. It is further concluded that the neonatal chick in vivo system provides new methodology for screening xenobiotics for mutagenicity.