EVALUATION OF MUTAGENICITY OF COMPOUNDS OF KNOWN CARCINOGENICITY, BELONGING TO BENZ[A]ANTHRACENE, CHRYSENE, AND CYCLOPENTA[A]PHENANTHRENE SERIES, USING AMESS TEST
Fifty-four polycyclic compounds, 29 of the cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene series, 11 chrysenes and 14 benz[a]anthracenes, were tested for mutagenicity by Ames''s method, using Salmonella typhimurium TA100. All 37 carcinogens and a known initiator were mutagens. Of the 16 noncarcinogens 7 were mutagenic, but none were tested for initiating, as opposed to carcinogenic, activity. There appeared to be little quantitative correspondence between carcinogenic and mutagenic potency, and possible reasons for this are discussed. The aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase inhibitor 7,8-benzoflavone inhibited the mutagenicity of certain compounds when it was added to the incubations.