Genotoxic potential of the organochlorine insecticide lindane (gamma-BHC): an in vivo study in chicks.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of lindane (gamma-isomer of benzene hexachloride (BHC)) in chicken in vivo tests: the bone marrow chromosome aberration and micronucleus tests. With the highest dose (100 mg/kg) a significant enhancement of chromosome aberrations was noticed after 24 and 48 h and with the second highest dose (75 mg/kg) after 24 h. A significant increase in the incidence of micronuclei in bone marrow cells was induced by all three doses (100, 75 and 50 mg/kg) given either intraperitoneally or orally while in peripheral erythrocytes only the two higher intraperitoneal doses (100 and 75 mg/kg) gave significant increases. On the basis of these results, lindane may be considered genotoxic in this test system and it is suggested that the chick in vivo system may be used as an alternative to a mammalian system for screening environmental chemicals for genotoxicity.