[Mutagenic activity of the fungicide captan]

A complex study of mutagenic activity of captan (a fungicide) in a series of standard test-systems has shown that the preparation induces gene mutations in certain Salmonella indicator strains (without metabolic activation), increases the frequency of mitotic crossing-over and gene conversion in yeasts (Saccharomyces), possesses a weak cytogenetic action on bone marrow cells in experimental animals, manifests no cytogenetic effect in the lymphocyte culture of human peripheral blood (including a system of microsomal activation). Genetic activity of captan cannot be a limiting criterion of its harmfulness.