The genetic toxicity of synthetic chemicals .2. A pyrethroid insecticide, fenpropathrin

The detection of many synthetic chemicals used in industry that may pose a genetic hazard in our environment is subject of great concern at present. In this respect, the genetic toxicity of fenpropathrin ((RS)-alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl-2,2,3,3-tetramethyl cyclopropane carboxylate, CAS No.: 39515-41-8), a pyrethroid insecticide, was evaluated in bacterial gene mutation system, chromosome aberration in mammalian cell system and in vivo micronucleus assay with rodents. In bacterial gene mutation assay, no mutagenicity of fenpropathrin (62-5000 mu g/plate) was observed in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98, 100, 1535 and 1537 both in the absence and in the presence of S-9 metabolic activation system. In mammalian cell system using chinese hamster lung fibroblast, no clastogenicity of fenpropathrin was also observed both in the absence and in the presence of metabolic activation system in the concentration range of 7-28 mu g/ml. And also, in vivo micronucleus assay using mouse bone marrow cells, fenpropathrin also revealed no mutagenic potential in the dose range of 27-105 mg/kg body weight of fenpropathrin (i.p.). Consequently, no mutagenic potential of fenpropathrin was observed in vitro bacterial, mammalian mutagenicity systems and in vivo micronucleus assay in the dose ranges used in this experiment.