Genotoxicity assay of five pesticides and their mixtures in Saccharomyces cerevisiae D7.

Four organophosphorus pesticides (azinphos-methyl, diazinone, dimethoate, and pirimiphos-methyl), and one carbamate (benomyl) were tested for cytotoxicity, reverse mutation and gene conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae D7, with and without the S9 metabolic system. Furthermore, two mixtures of the above compounds, namely benomyl + pirimiphos-methyl (6/1 ratio) and dimethoate + diazinone + azinphos-methyl (10/4/6 ratio) were tested in the same experimental model. Azinphos-methyl, benomyl, and pirimiphos-methyl alone did not induce any genotoxic effect, whereas azinphos-methyl and diazinone were active in inducing reversion and gene conversion. The benomyl + pirimiphos-methyl mixture did not show any genotoxic activity. The dimethoate + diazinone + azimphos-methyl mixture was genotoxic, although an antagonistic effect between the components was observed. The addition of S9 post-mitochondrial liver fraction decreased the activity of both single and mixed genotoxic agents.