Genotoxic Evaluation of the Pyrethroid Permethrin and λ−cyhalothrin by using the Chromosomal Aberration Test on the Fresh Water Fish Channa Punctatus

A large number of pollutants are present in the aquatic environment and it is necessary to obtain information about the toxic effect of contaminant mixtures. To evaluate the genotoxic potential of permethrin and λcyhalothrin on aquatic biosystem, bottom feeding fish Channa punctatus, as model fish were exposed to these pesticides. The genotoxic effects of pyrethroid pesticides permethrin and λ-cyhalothrin were investigated by the chromosomal aberration test in Channa punctatus. The fishes were divided into three groups. Group I was control group while Group II and III were treated with permethrin and λ-cyhalothrin. The remarkable chromosomal aberrations recorded in the present investigations were chromatid breaks, chromosomal breaks, chromatid deletions, fragments, acentric fragments, ring and dicentric chromosomes along with chromatid and chromosomal gaps.