Genotoxicity studies in semiconductor industry. 1. In vitro mutagenicity and genotoxicity studies of waste samples resulting from plasma etching

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15287399309531754· OSTI ID:6119073

Braun, R; Huettner, E M; Merten, H; Raabe, F ^[1]

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1. Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben (Germany)

Solid waste samples taken from the etching reactor, the turbo pump, and the waste air system of a plasma etching technology line in semiconductor production were studied as to their genotoxic properties in a bacterial repair test, in the Ames/Salmonella microsome assay, in the SOS chromotest, in primary mouse hepatocytes, and in Chinese hamster V79 cell cultures. All three waste samples were found to be active by inducing of unscheduled DNA-synthesis in mouse hepatocytes in vitro. In the bacterial rec-type repair test with Proteus mirabilis, waste samples taken from the turbo pump and the vacuum pipe system were not genotoxic. The waste sample taken from the chlorine-mediated plasma reactor was clearly positive in the bacterial repair assay and in the SOS chromotest with Escherichia coli. Mutagenic activity was demonstrated for all samples in the presence and absence of S9 mix made from mouse liver homogenate. Again, highest mutagenic activity was recorded for the waste sample taken from the plasma reactor, while samples collected from the turbo pump and from the waste air system before dilution and liberation of the air were less mutagenic. For all samples chromosomal damage in V79 cells was not detected, indicating absence of clastogenic activity in vitro. Altogether, these results indicate generation of genotoxic and mutagenic products as a consequence of chlorine-mediated plasma etching in the microelectronics industry and the presence of genotoxins even in places distant from the plasma reactor. Occupational exposure can be expected both from the precipitated wastes and from chemicals reaching the environment with the air stream.

• OSTI ID: 6119073
• Journal Information: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health; (United States), Vol. 39:3; ISSN 0098-4108
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MUTAGENESIS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
MICROELECTRONICS
CELL CULTURES
DNA
DNA REPAIR
ESCHERICHIA COLI
ETCHING
HAMSTERS
LIVER CELLS
MICE
PLASMA
PROTEUS
SALMONELLA
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
MAMMALS
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
REPAIR
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
SURFACE FINISHING
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
550200* - Biochemistry
550300 - Cytology
550400 - Genetics
550700 - Microbiology