Evaluation of the Genetic Toxicity of Synthetic Chemicals (XI) - a Synthetic Sulfonylurea Herbicide, Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl-

To validate and to estimate the chemical hazard playa very important role to environment and human health. The detection of many synthetic chemicals including agrochemicals that may pose a genetic hazard in our environment is of great concern at present. Since these substances are not limited to the original products, and enter the environment, they have become widespread environmental pollutants, thus leading to a variety of chemicals that possibly threaten the public health. Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl [Ethyl-5-(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-ylcarbamoylsulfamoyl)-1-methylpyrazole-4-carboxylate, $C_{14}H_{18}N{6}O_{7}S,$ M.W. =414.39, CAS No. 93697-74-6], is one of well known rice herbicide belong in the sulfonyl urea group. To clarify the genotoxicity of this agrochemical, Ames bacterial reversion assay, in vitro chromosomal aberration assay with Chinese hamster lung (CHL) fibroblast and bone marrow micronucleus assay in mice were subjected. In Ames assay, although pyrazosulfuron-ethyl revealed cytotoxic at 5,000-140 $\mug/plate$ in Salmonella typhimurium TA100, no dose-dependent mutagenic potential in 4.4～70 $\mug/plate$ of S. typhimurium TA 98, TA 100, TA1535 and TA 1537 both in the absence and presence of S-9 metabolic activation system was observed. Using CHL fibroblasts, the 50% cell growth inhibition concentration $(IC_{50})$ of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl was determined as 1,243 $\mug/mL,$ and no chromosomal aberration was observed both in the absence and presence of S-9 mixture in the concentration range of 311-1,243 $\mug/mL.$ And also, in vivo micronucleus assay using mouse bone marrow, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl revealed no remarkable induction of MNPCE (micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes/1000 polychromatic erythrocytes) in the dose range of 625-2,500 mg/kg body weight when administered orally. Consequently, Ames bacterial gene mutation with Salmonella typhimurium, in vitro chromosome aberration with mammalian cells and in vivo bone marrow micronucleus assay revealed no clastogenic potential of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl in this study.