ATRAZINE, A TRIAZINE HERBICIDE, IS GENOTOXIC IN THE DROSOPHILA-SOMATIC AND GERM-LINE CELLS

Atrazine (CAS No. 1912-24-9), a triazine herbicide, was tested for its genotoxic effects following larval exposures in the Drosophila somati c (wing primordia) and male germ line cells. In the somatic cell assay , mwh+/+ flr3 transheterozygous larvae were exposed to different conce ntrations of the test compound to observe the induction of mutant mosa ic spots in the wings of developing adults. The standard Basc techniqu e was followed for the detection of induction of recessive lethals in the male germ line. It was concluded that atrazine is genotoxic both i n the somatic and germ line cells of Drosophila melanogaster.