Abstract
The use of organophosphate pesticides (OPs) in agricultural practices in India has gained popularity due to their broad spectrum, low cost and high potency. Monocrotophos (an OP) which is a systemic and contact broad-spectrum cholinesterase inhibitor is being widely used in India. However, its use entails the damage to other non-target organisms such as fish. In the present study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to various doses of monocrotophos (0.125, 0.625 and 1.25 μL/L) and genotoxicity studies were carried out employing the comet assay and micronucleus test in the peripheral blood of these fish after 24, 48 and 72 h of exposure. Significant DNA damage in the form of % tail DNA and micronuclei was observed in all the treated fish compared to the control. Both % tail DNA and micronuclei frequency were found to increase significantly as the concentration increased. DNA damage was also observed at all the time intervals for all treatments except in the 0.125 μL/L-treated group. A positive correlation was also observed between the comet assay and micronucleus test. The study thus suggests the use of zebrafish as an experimental model to study the genotoxic effects of agricultural pesticides using the comet assay and micronucleus test.
Highlights
Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are used extensively in agricultural practices around the world due to their high potency and rapid mode of action on a broad spectrum of pests
A significant increase of dose-dependent damage (p \ 0.05) was observed in the form of % tail DNA in the erythrocytes of D. rerio compared to the control (Fig. 3)
The present study revealed the genotoxicity of MCP in the peripheral blood cells of zebrafish as indicated by the comet assay and the micronucleus test
Summary
Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are used extensively in agricultural practices around the world due to their high potency and rapid mode of action on a broad spectrum of pests. Monocrotophos (MCP), an OP, is used in many parts of the world, in developing countries because of its low cost and is a broad-spectrum pesticide. Entails several undesirable effects in non-target organisms It is an organic pollutant which is soluble in water and can, be taken up by aquatic fauna. It is labeled as a marine pollutant (FAO/UNEP 1997) and is included under category 1 (highly toxic) by USEPA (1985). It can enter the body through oral, dermal or inhalation routes. MCP, as with other pesticides finds its way to the aquatic environment by
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