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Toxic Effects of Organochlorine Pesticides: A Review

Received: 25 October 2015     Accepted: 23 November 2015     Published: 14 March 2016
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Abstract

This study is aimed at compiling the toxicological aspects of organochlorine compounds (OCCs) including pesticides among different animal models. Tests on animal species like Mean Probable Effect Concentration Quotient (PEC-Q) test, DNA repair assays and histopathological examinations have shown positive results for the toxicity of organochlorine pesticides. The results were observed on different animals including fishes, furseals, frogs, rats, bats and humans. In fishes, endosulfan is found to have acute toxicities. Similarly, organophosphorus, synthetic pyrethroids and microbial insecticides were also found to show their toxic effects. Some compounds such as lambda-cyhalothrin showed a very high toxicity on fish followed by fenvalerate, deltamethrin and cypermethrin. Exposure to OCCs can impart foe cell death by inducing Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Pathway (MAPK) which is associated with cell growth differentiation and apoptosis. On studying the genotoxic effects of OCCs on germ cells of mouse, it was observed that a lethal mutation can occur just after one mating interval. Increase in the number of micronucleated cells has also been seen after OCC exposure. Neuro-behavioural studies on rats showed the presence of tremors caused by chlordecone and p,p’DDT. Tumorigenicity by organochlorine pesticides is seen to be an epigenetic mechanism in a DNA repair assay. Acute poisoning was seen in liver, kidney and testis of albino rat due to the toxic effect of dursban and DDT. Great declines in populations have been seen due to OCC toxicity in different animal species. Direct and indirect exposure to these compounds should be reduced so as to minimize the possible health hazards.

Published in American Journal of BioScience (Volume 4, Issue 3-1)

This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Experimental Toxicology

DOI 10.11648/j.ajbio.s.2016040301.13
Page(s) 11-18
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2016. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Organochlorine Compounds, Organochlorine Pesticides, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Toxicity, Endosulfan, Lindane, Dieldrin

References
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    Zorawar Singh, Jasminder Kaur, Ravneet Kaur, Swarndeep Singh Hundal. (2016). Toxic Effects of Organochlorine Pesticides: A Review. American Journal of BioScience, 4(3-1), 11-18. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajbio.s.2016040301.13

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    Zorawar Singh; Jasminder Kaur; Ravneet Kaur; Swarndeep Singh Hundal. Toxic Effects of Organochlorine Pesticides: A Review. Am. J. BioScience 2016, 4(3-1), 11-18. doi: 10.11648/j.ajbio.s.2016040301.13

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    AMA Style

    Zorawar Singh, Jasminder Kaur, Ravneet Kaur, Swarndeep Singh Hundal. Toxic Effects of Organochlorine Pesticides: A Review. Am J BioScience. 2016;4(3-1):11-18. doi: 10.11648/j.ajbio.s.2016040301.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajbio.s.2016040301.13,
      author = {Zorawar Singh and Jasminder Kaur and Ravneet Kaur and Swarndeep Singh Hundal},
      title = {Toxic Effects of Organochlorine Pesticides: A Review},
      journal = {American Journal of BioScience},
      volume = {4},
      number = {3-1},
      pages = {11-18},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajbio.s.2016040301.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajbio.s.2016040301.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajbio.s.2016040301.13},
      abstract = {This study is aimed at compiling the toxicological aspects of organochlorine compounds (OCCs) including pesticides among different animal models. Tests on animal species like Mean Probable Effect Concentration Quotient (PEC-Q) test, DNA repair assays and histopathological examinations have shown positive results for the toxicity of organochlorine pesticides. The results were observed on different animals including fishes, furseals, frogs, rats, bats and humans. In fishes, endosulfan is found to have acute toxicities. Similarly, organophosphorus, synthetic pyrethroids and microbial insecticides were also found to show their toxic effects. Some compounds such as lambda-cyhalothrin showed a very high toxicity on fish followed by fenvalerate, deltamethrin and cypermethrin. Exposure to OCCs can impart foe cell death by inducing Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Pathway (MAPK) which is associated with cell growth differentiation and apoptosis. On studying the genotoxic effects of OCCs on germ cells of mouse, it was observed that a lethal mutation can occur just after one mating interval. Increase in the number of micronucleated cells has also been seen after OCC exposure. Neuro-behavioural studies on rats showed the presence of tremors caused by chlordecone and p,p’DDT. Tumorigenicity by organochlorine pesticides is seen to be an epigenetic mechanism in a DNA repair assay. Acute poisoning was seen in liver, kidney and testis of albino rat due to the toxic effect of dursban and DDT. Great declines in populations have been seen due to OCC toxicity in different animal species. Direct and indirect exposure to these compounds should be reduced so as to minimize the possible health hazards.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Toxic Effects of Organochlorine Pesticides: A Review
    AU  - Zorawar Singh
    AU  - Jasminder Kaur
    AU  - Ravneet Kaur
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    JF  - American Journal of BioScience
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajbio.s.2016040301.13
    AB  - This study is aimed at compiling the toxicological aspects of organochlorine compounds (OCCs) including pesticides among different animal models. Tests on animal species like Mean Probable Effect Concentration Quotient (PEC-Q) test, DNA repair assays and histopathological examinations have shown positive results for the toxicity of organochlorine pesticides. The results were observed on different animals including fishes, furseals, frogs, rats, bats and humans. In fishes, endosulfan is found to have acute toxicities. Similarly, organophosphorus, synthetic pyrethroids and microbial insecticides were also found to show their toxic effects. Some compounds such as lambda-cyhalothrin showed a very high toxicity on fish followed by fenvalerate, deltamethrin and cypermethrin. Exposure to OCCs can impart foe cell death by inducing Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Pathway (MAPK) which is associated with cell growth differentiation and apoptosis. On studying the genotoxic effects of OCCs on germ cells of mouse, it was observed that a lethal mutation can occur just after one mating interval. Increase in the number of micronucleated cells has also been seen after OCC exposure. Neuro-behavioural studies on rats showed the presence of tremors caused by chlordecone and p,p’DDT. Tumorigenicity by organochlorine pesticides is seen to be an epigenetic mechanism in a DNA repair assay. Acute poisoning was seen in liver, kidney and testis of albino rat due to the toxic effect of dursban and DDT. Great declines in populations have been seen due to OCC toxicity in different animal species. Direct and indirect exposure to these compounds should be reduced so as to minimize the possible health hazards.
    VL  - 4
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Author Information
  • Department of Zoology, Khalsa College, Amritsar, Punjab, India

  • Department of Zoology, Khalsa College, Amritsar, Punjab, India

  • Department of Zoology, Khalsa College, Amritsar, Punjab, India

  • Department of Zoology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India

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