90 DAY DERMAL TOXICITY OF DDVP IN MALE RATS

DDVP (0,0-dimethyl 2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate) has been known as a versatile insecticide. It is being used as a contact and systemic inseticide due to its penetrant and volatile properties. It has been used against a variety of pests in agriculture, in household and public health programmes and also in the disinfestation of aircrafts. This article reports on the action of DDVP on the skin and testis of rats. Exposure of male rats to DDVP (21. 4 mg/kg/day) through dermal painting for a period of 90 days did not produce any changes in skin or testis. None of the animals showed any clinical symptoms of DDVP poisoning or mortality during experimentation. Rapid degradation of DDVP and further its detoxification in liver of rats and other species of mammals seems to be the prime reason for the non-toxic effect of the insecticide.