Toxicological effects of ziram, thiram, and dithane M-45 assessed by sperm shape abnormalities in mice.

The three commonly used dithiocarbamate fungicides ziram, thiram, and dithane M-45 were investigated for their mutagenic and carcinogenic potency using sperm shape abnormalities in mice. The fungicides were administered intraperitoneally in single and cumulative doses. All three of the fungicides tested were found to induce significant increase in the frequency of abnormal sperm at all the doses, and a linear dose effect was observed.