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Cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of coal oils in the CHO/HGRPT assay

Journal Article · · Environ. Mutagen.; (United States)

The Chinese hamster ovary cell/hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (CHO/HGPRT) assay was used to determine the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of a crude coal oil, the neutral fraction of this crude, and the following three subfractions of the neutral fraction: aliphatic, neutral polar, and a subfraction composed of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons plus neutral nitrogen heterocyclics. The cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of a blend of light and heavy coal-derived fuel oils before and after hydrogenation was also studied. All seven mixtures were highly cytotoxic to CHO cells, but the addition of S9 reduced the cytotoxicity. Also, hydrogenation reduced the cytotoxicity of the blend of coal-derived fuel oils. Although highly cytotoxic, none of the seven mixtures induced a clear mutagenic response in the CHO/HGPRT assay. However, previous work has shown that all of the mixtures except the aliphatic subfraction and the blend after hydrogenation are mutagenic in the histidine-reversion assay in Salmonella typhimurium. The authors conclude that the disparity between the results in Salmonella and those obtained in the CHO/HGPRT assay is probably due to the much greater sensitivity of CHO cells (relative to Salmonella) to the cytotoxins in these coal oils.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
OSTI ID:
6488892
Journal Information:
Environ. Mutagen.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Mutagen.; (United States) Vol. 6:4; ISSN ENMUD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English