Clastogenic effects of copper sulphate in chick in vivo test system.

The clastogenic potential of copper sulphate was evaluated in chicks, employing chromosome aberration (CA) and micronucleus test (MNT) assays. For CA dose, route, time-response and acute vs. subacute studies have been done while only route and dose-response studies were done for MNT. Three different doses were administered intraperitoneally, and only the highest dose was administered per oral. Neonatal chicks were killed after different time intervals. One-fifth of the highest dose was injected repeatedly with a gap of 24 h in-between for sub-acute regimen. A statistically significant (p<0.05) increase of CA was observed by the two higher doses in i.p. route and by the highest dose in p.o. route. In time-response studies, significant (P<0.05) results were obtained after 24 and 48 h of exposures. A significant increase in micronucleus counts was also observed with the two higher doses in both bone marrow and peripheral blood erythrocytes by the i.p. route and only by the highest dose in bone marrow erythrocytes by the p.o. route. The present results reveal the genotoxic potential of CuSO4 in chick in vivo.