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Study on the genotoxicity of 13 mild coal gasification products

Journal Article · · Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis
OSTI ID:88935
; ; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. National Institute for Occupational and Health, Morgantown, WV (United States)
  2. West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
Mild gasification of coal is a technology being developed by the United States Department of Energy and private industry with the hope that a cleaner use of coal can help meet future energy needs. The mutagenicity of 13 gasification product samples from various coal mine sources, with different processing conditions and boiling point ranges, was studied using bacteria. The results show that 9 of the 13 composite samples displayed mutagenic activity in the Ames assay. Six mutagenic samples were further fractionated into basic, acidic nonpolar and polar neutral subfractions. All samples displayed mutagenic activity in the Ames assay with S9 in the nonpolar neutral subfraction. Five mutagenic samples were also tested for genotoxicity in three mammalian cell assays. None of the samples tested caused gene mutations in Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79) cells in the HGPRT assay system. However, all five samples were found to induce micronuclei and sister chromatid exchange in V79 cells. Chemical characterization of the subfractions indicates that the nonpolar neutral subfractions contain aromatic hydrocarbons. These compounds may be responsible for the genotoxic activity of samples.
OSTI ID:
88935
Report Number(s):
CONF-9405324--
Journal Information:
Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis, Journal Name: Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis Journal Issue: Suppl.23 Vol. 23; ISSN 0893-6692; ISSN EMMUEG
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English