2003 Volume 13 Issue 3 Pages 781-787
The mutagenicity of the extract which carried out by Soxhlet's extraction (toluene: ethanol = 3 : 7, v/v) for 20 hours from commercial charcoal was measured by preincubation method with Salmonella typhimurium TA100 and TA98. Some of the samples showed positive mutagenicity. Moreover, the mutagenicity of the extract of own-making charcoal was also investigated. The Western redcedar, a pine, and commercial plywood were used for making charcoal. These samples were carbonized for 1 hour under nitrogen atmosphere at 400 °C, 600 °C, 800 °C, and 1000 °C, respectively. The carbide produced at low temperature (400 °C and 600 °C) showed mutagenicity in many cases. On the other hand, it was suggested that the carbide produced by the high temperature (800 °C and 1000 °C) rarely showed mutagenicity.
