Mutagenic characterization of soil and water samples from a superfund site

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Nucl. Chem. Waste Manage.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-815X(88)90072-1· OSTI ID:6259081

Donnelly, K C; Brown, K W; DiGuillio, D G

This study was conducted to evaluate the utility of short-term microbial bioassays to assess the mutagenic hazard of an uncontrolled hazardous waste site, and to compare the results from chemical and biological analysis of split soil and water samples. The results from chemical analysis indicated that the greatest concentration of contaminants was present in samples from an oil-stained area, and from the vicinity of a PCB disposal area. The results from the analyses of mutagenicity of these samples indicates that these samples also had the greatest specific activity, inducing 155 and 140 net revertants when the methylene chloride and methanol fractions were assayed, respectively. However, when the samples are compared on the basis of weighted activity, the sample from the vicinity of the PCB disposal area had the maximum activity (2410 revertants power gram of soil). While a second sample from the vicinity of the PCB disposal area had a weighted activity of 757 revertants per gram of soil, it contained no organic constituents which could be identified using standard analytical procedures. These result indicate that a combined testing protocol using both chemical and biological analysis will provide a more accurate data base from which to make a risk assessment than the use of either method alone.

• Research Organization: Soil and Crop Sciences Dept., Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (US); United States Evironmental Protection Agency, Region III, Philadelphia, PA (US)
• OSTI ID: 6259081
• Journal Information: Nucl. Chem. Waste Manage.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Chem. Waste Manage.; (United States) Vol. 8:2; ISSN NCWMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AROMATICS
BIOASSAY
BIPHENYL
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LAND POLLUTION
LAWS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MONITORING
MUTAGENESIS
MUTAGENS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION LAWS
SAMPLING
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SOILS
SUPERFUND
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER
WATER POLLUTION