A Histopathological Study on the Effects of Commercial and Biodegraded Malathion on Liver, Kidney and Spleen of Mice

Authors: N. (Emir) BARLAS, D. KOLANKAYA

Abstract: In this study, the effects of commercial and microbially-degraded malathion in mice were investigated. Mixed microbial cultures were obtained from soil samples collected from the Kızılırmak and Yeşilırmak basins; 200 µg malathion was added to 30 ml of mineral salts medium and inoculated with soil samples. After incubation for one week, filtered culture solutions were given orally to mice for a period of 15 weeks. In order to learn the effects of commercial preparations, the same concentrations of this pesticide was given orally to the another group mice for 15 weeks as well. Histopathological examinations of mice, treated with microbially-degraded malathion, revealed congestion, necrosis, splitting of liver sinusoids, mononuclear cell infiltration, degeneration, swelling of the proximal kidney tubule cells, apical surface, an increased number of megakaryocytes and fibrosis in the spleen. The pathological effects of the commercial malathion were less severe than that of the microbially- degraded (containing malathion and its metabolites) solution.

Keywords: Malathion, Metabolites, Degradation, Mice, Pathological Effects