Genotoxic effects of some organophosphorus pesticides. II. In vivo chromosomal aberration bioassay in bone marrow cells in rat.

The genotoxic effects of 4 organophosphorus pesticides, i.e., ekatin, fenitrothion, methylparathion and phorate, were assessed employing in vivo chromosomal aberration bioassay in bone marrow cells in rat. Methylparathion and phorate were found to be mutagenic while ekatin was weakly mutagenic. The frequency of chromosomal aberrations induced by fenitrothion did not differ significantly from that observed in negative control.