[The mutagenicity of organic microcontamination in the environment. II. The mutagenicity of volatile organic halogens in the Salmonella microsome test (Ames Test) with regard to the contamination of groundwater and drinking water]

Abstract

To determine the sensitivity and specificity of microbial shortterm-tests for the registration of the mutagenic potency of halogenated hydrocarbons (OHV) 18 pure substances out of the groups of halomethanes, -ethanes and -ethylenes were examined with different laboratory methods (classical Ames-Test, Spot-Testing, Preincubation-Procedure) of the Salmonella-Microsome-Test (Ames-Test). The Salmonella typhimurium- strains TA97, TA98, TA100 und TA102 were used with and without metabolic activation of Arochlor 1254 induced rat-liver microsomes. Mutagenicity with one or several procedures shows 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, hexachloroethane, trichloroethylene, bromdichloromethane and bromoform without metabolic activation and dichloromethane, tetrachloromethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, hexachloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethylene, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene and bromdichloromethane with metabolic activation. The range of sensitivity amounted from microgram to nanogram values of OHV's per plate, so that the Ames-test can be a sensitive screening method sufficient for detection of mutagenic effects by several OHV's in high contaminated environmental samples even without extraction procedures.