Mutagen Formation on Photolysis of Dehydroacetic Acid

Abstract

Dehydroacetic acid (DHA) gave rise to some mutagenic substances on irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light. Mutagenicity was detected toward Salmonella typhimurium TA 100 without the S-9 mix. A decrease in the absorbance maximum at 307 nm of DHA was accompanied by a simultaneous increase in total carbonyls and a slight decrease in pH. The mutagenicity of the substances derived from DHA was reduced by the addition of reducing agents, which suggested that the mutagenic substances might be carbonyl compounds. From the results of analysis of carbonyl compounds by GC-mass spectrometry and determination of their mutagenicities in the UV-irradiated DHA sample, it was confirmed that the mutagenicity of the sample was mainly due to 2-pentenal.