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U.S. Department of Energy
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Mutagenic activity in diesel exhaust particulates

Journal Article · · Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01611049· OSTI ID:6025231
Chloroform eluates of diesel exhaust particulate extracts were mutagenic in the Ames test. The mutagenic activity of approximately 480 revertants/100 ..mu..g of extract/plate did not require liver enzymes for its expression. The addition of liver enzymes decreased mutagenic activity, an effect which has previously been shown to be non-specific binding of the mutagen to liver proteins. After reduction of the diesel exhaust extract with sodium borohydride, the S-9 independent activity was greatly diminished. Addition of S-9 to the reduced sample revealed the presence of S-9 dependent mutagenic activity. These results, although not conclusive, provide additional evidence for the presence of nitronarene mutagens in diesel exhaust particulates. If, for example, the samples contained nitrofluorene, nitronaphthalene or nitropyrene, the reduction reaction would have formed aminofluorene, aminonaphthalene, and aminopyrene, compounds which are mutagens requiring liver enzyme activation in the Ames test. Attempts to isolate the amine by acidic extraction were not successful, however, because of the weak mutagenic activity in the sample.
Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Berkeley
OSTI ID:
6025231
Journal Information:
Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States), Journal Name: Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.; (United States) Vol. 27:4; ISSN BECTA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English