Background: The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of phosalone (PLN) as an organophosphate (OP) compound on testicular tissue, hormonal alterations and embryo development in rats.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we divided 18 mature Wistar rats into three groups-control, control-sham and test (n=6 per group). Animals in the test group received one-fourth the lethal dose (LD50) of PLN (150 mg/kg), orally, once per day for 45 days. DNA laddering and epi-fluorescent analyses were performed to evaluate testicular DNA fragmentation and RNA damage, respectively. Serum levels of testosterone and inhibin-B (IN-B) were evaluated. Testicular levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total thiol molecules (TTM) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) were analyzed. Finally, we estimated sperm parameters and effect of PLN on embryo development. Two-way ANOVA was used for statistical analyses.Results: There was severe DNA fragmentation and RNA damage in testicular tissue of animals that received PLN. PLN remarkably (p<0.05) decreased testicular TAC, TTM and GSH-px levels. Animals that received PLN exhibited significantly (p<0.05) decreased serum levels of testosterone and IN-B. Reduced sperm count, viability, motility, chromatin condensation and elevated sperm DNA damage were observed in the test group rats. PLN resulted in significant (p<0.05) reduction of in vitro fertilizing (IVF) potential and elevated embryonic degeneration.Conclusion: PLN reduced fertilization potential and embryo development were attributed to a cascade of impacts on the testicles and sperm. PLN promoted its impact by elevating DNA and RNA damages via down-regulation of testicular endocrine activity and antioxidant status.

Introduction: Textile industry produces large quantities of highly colored effluents, which are generally toxic and resistant to biodegradation. The present study was carried out to find out the efficiency of using gamma radiation to degrade or decontaminate combined textile effluent and its potential application as irrigation water on spleen amaranth.Results: The change of absorption spectra, physicochemical parameters of gamma-irradiated textile effluent revealed that all these properties have improved after irradiation at (10-15) kGy. Analysis of ammonium and total nitrogen concentration of the effluent also showed that both of them are increased after irradiation and can be used for irrigation purposes. Application of irradiated textile effluents on spleen amaranth have increased dry mass (10.77 g), plant height (10.53/week), root length (19.00 cm), number of leaves (6/week) compared to the plants which were nourished with raw textile effluent and only water. Elemental analysis showed trace amount of heavy metal uptake by the plant. Moreover, the plants contain mineral nutrients essential for plant growth.Conclusions: The treatment of textile effluents by gamma irradiation (10-15 kGy) is a promising tool as it produces zero waste and has the possibility of alternative use for irrigation water with fertilizing properties.