In Vitro Evaluation of the Toxicity of Several Dithiocarbamates Using an Escherichia coli Growth Inhibition Bioassay and the Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition Test

( ) ABSTRACT: The industrial and sanitary use of dithiocarbamates DTCs is on the rise, and the synthesis of new derivatives has increased the field of their application. Both positive and negative pharmacological and toxicological effects have been documented for DTCs. The development and application of new DTCs must be accompanied by the study of their toxicity, beginning with the performance of simple and rapid biological screening tests. ( ) The objective of our study was to apply the IGEC biotest inhibition of growth of Escherichia coli and ( ) the acetylcholinesterase AChE inhibition test to a group of newly synthesized DTCs with possible ( ) ( ) applications in the area of public health. The substances studied were y -ephedrine-DTC, + -pseudoephedrine-DTC, N-ethylbenzyl-DTC, diethyl-DTC, and dimethyl-DTC, and the corresponding amines ( ) ( ) used in their synthesis: y -ephedrine, + -pseudoephedrine, N-ethylbenzylamine, diethylamine, and dimethylamine. ( ) The parameters for the minimal effective concentration tested MEC , median effective concentration ( ) ( ) EC , and no observed effect concentration NOEC of each chemical were determined using the 50 IGEC biotest. The AChE inhibition test was carried out for all the DTCs as well. Of the synthesized DTCs, ( ) ( y1 y 1) + -pseudoephedrine-DTC showed the lowest toxicity NOEC=30 mg mL and EC =301 mg mL 50 ( y1) ( ) and N-ethylbenzyl-DTC showed the highest toxicity EC =26 mg mL . Although y -ephedrine-DTC 50 exhibited a minimal inhibitory effect on AChE, the results obtained indicate a generalized absence of AChE inhibition for the DTCs. Q 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Environ Toxicol Water Qual 13: 165]174, 1998