Assessment of genotoxic effects of a fungicide product and its active substances on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The genotoxic potential of the plant protection product Signum® and its two active substances (pyraclostrobin and boscalid) was investigated by the comet assay (pH>13). Leukocytes isolated from whole blood were treated with different concentrations (0.1-25 µg/ml) of the fungicide for 2 h and 20 h. The Trypan Blue exclusion test showed higher cell viability (>84%) under all three concentrations and in the two treatment periods. The obtained results revealed that both Signum® and pyraclostrobin induced statistically significant DNA damage. In contrast, boscalid did not cause statistically significant DNA damage after 2 h exposure although it caused DNA damage at higher concentrations after a longer time exposure (20 h). It is deducible that pyraclostrobin and Signum® might be genotoxic. However, within the studied concentration ranges, none of the fungicides was found to be cytotoxic in the two treatment periods.