IN OVO STUDY ON THE EMBRYOTOXIC, MUTAGENIC AND CARCINOGENIC POTENTIAL OF THE ETHYLENE BISDITHIOCARBAMATE FUNGICIDE MANCOZEB

Mancozeb, an ethylene bisdithiocarbamate, has been one of the most commonly used fungicides in commercial use for several decades. The embryotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of mancozeb was studied in 15I line, White Leghorn chicken embryos. The in ovo carcinogenicity assay (IOCA) was used to examine whether mancozeb induce toxicity and subsequently morphological alterations in the embryonic liver, compared to the carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA.). In this study, NDMA induced foci of altered hepatocytes (FAHs), tubular structure formation and hyperplasia of cholangiocytes. Histological examination of mancozeb-exposed embryos revealed a severe toxic damage of the liver tissue. Treatment of avian embryos with high mortality-inducing dose of mancozeb resulted in the appearance of basophilic zones, resembling the basophilic FAHS, observed in NDMA-treated embryos. The mutagenic potential of rnancozeb was assessed by the hen's egg test for micronucleus induction (HET-MN). The application of this fungicide did not increase significantly the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes, as opposed to well known mutagen NDMA.