International Journal of Environmental Sciences

Deltamethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid pesticide that kills insects through dermal contact and digestion. It is applied for a range of commercial crops and recreational uses, and by extension controls a variety of pests. The cytological effects of deltamethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid used as an insecticide, have been studied using root meristems of Allium cepa. Deltamethrin treatment resulted in a dose-related reduction in mitotic index. Both chromosomal and mitotic abnormalities were encountered at all concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 2 ppm. Most of the chromosomal and mitotic abnormalities were apparently due to disturbance in the mitotic spindle. Induction of chromosome and chromatid breaks with higher concentrations (0.5 to 2.0 ppm) suggested clastogenic action of this compound but Deltamethrin is not mobile in the environment because of its strong adsorption on particles, its insolubility in water, and very low rates of application; however, it still presents risks to the ecosystem in which it is applied. The level of deltamethrin biodegradation in mixed cultures of benthic and planktonic bacteria after 5, 10, and 15 days of incubation was higher than that in homogenous cultures. It was demonstrated that microorganisms from the Sphingomonas paucimobilis species and the Moraxella genus, among planktonic bacteria, as well as Burkholderia cepacia and Bacillus mycoides species, among benthic bacteria, were the most effective in reducing the concentration of this insecticide