In vivo genotoxic effects of commercial grade cypermethrin on fish peripheral erythrocytes

The study explicates the genotoxic effects of commercial grade cypermethrin on peripheral erythrocytes of Catla catla, chronically exposed to two environmentally relevant concentrations. The fish was treated with sub-lethal concentrations 0.12 μg/L and 0.41 μg/L (1/10th and /1/3rd of 96 h LC₅₀ ) of cypermethrin for 45 days. DNA damage in the exposed fish was assessed using alkaline comet assay, presence of micronuclei (MN), erythrocyte nuclear and cytoplasmic abnormalities. Exposure to cypermethrin induced a dose-dependent increase in percent DNA damage, micronucleus frequency and erythrocyte abnormalities. Nuclear anomalies such as notched nuclei, lobed nuclei, bridged nuclei, and deformed nuclei; and cytoplasmic anomalies like anisochromasia, vacuolated cytoplasm, lobed cells, and echinocytes were observed. The findings revealed the genotoxic potential of commercial formulations pyrethroid cypermethrin at concentrations found in the environment and their potential deleterious effects on nontarget aquatic organisms.