Carcinogenicity of by-products of disinfection in mouse and rat liver

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.866959· OSTI ID:5554975

Herren-Freund, S L; Pereira, M A

By-products of disinfection were tested for initiating and/or promoting activity in rat liver by using the rat liver foci bioassay. The assay uses an increased incidence of ..gamma..-glutamyltranspeptidase-positive foci (GGT foci) as an indicator of carcinogenicity. The by-products of disinfection, including chloramine, halogenated humic acids, halogenated ethanes, halogenated acetonitriles, halogenated methanes, halogenated ethylene, and N-Cl piperidine, did not initiate GGT foci, which would indicate that they are not capable of initiating carcinogenesis. Chloroform and halogenated benzenes were tested in this assay for their ability to promote the occurrence of GGT foci and tumors initiated by diethylnitrosamine (DENA). Chloroform either had no effect or inhibited the occurrence of GGT foci when administered subsequent to a single dose of DENA. However, when the chloroform was administered in drinking water concurrently with weekly doses of DENA, it enhanced the formation of liver tumors. Of 20 halogenated benzenes tested, only 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene and hexachlorobenzene promoted the occurrence of DENA-initiated GGT foci. Thus in rat liver, the tested by-products of drinking water disinfection did not demonstrate tumor-initiating activity, although a few appeared to possess tumor-promoting activity. Chloroform was also tested for tumor-promoting activity in 15-days-old Swiss mice initiated with ethylnitrosourea (ENU). ENU at 5 and 20 ..mu..g/g caused a dose-dependent increase in liver tumors. In male mice, chloroform inhibited both spontaneous and ENU-induced liver tumors. When administered in the drinking water, chloroform inhibited, whereas phenobarbital promoted, hepatocarcinogenesis in mice.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH
• OSTI ID: 5554975
• Journal Information: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States) Vol. 69; ISSN EVHPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACETONITRILE
AMINES
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
BY-PRODUCTS
CARCINOGENESIS
CHLORAMINES
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLOROFORM
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISINFECTANTS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
DRINKING WATER
ENZYMES
GERMICIDES
GLANDS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HUMIC ACIDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLASES
LIVER
MAMMALS
MICE
NITRILES
NITROSAMINES
NITROSO COMPOUNDS
NITROSOUREAS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOGENESIS
PEPTIDE HYDROLASES
PROMOTERS
RATS
RODENTS
TUMOR PROMOTERS
VERTEBRATES
WATER
WATER TREATMENT