CLASTOGENICITY OF LANTHANIDES - INDUCTION OF CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATION IN BONE-MARROW CELLS OF MICE IN-VIVO

Clastogenic properties of two lanthanide elements praseodymium (Pr) an d neodymium (Nd) were evaluated by employing mouse in vivo chromosomal aberrations (CAs) assay. Praseodymium oxide (Pr6O11) and neodymium ox ide (Nd2O3) administered intraperitoneally to Swiss albino mice in viv o induced significant increase in the frequency of CAs in bone marrow cells, when compared to negative control. The number of CAs/cell and p ercent aberrant cells increased with an increase in the concentration and period of treatment. The effect was maximum when the cells were an alysed 12 h after treatment, as compared to 6 and 24 h. This is the fi rst report on the clastogenicity of these elements in mouse in vivo.