Studies on the Mutagenicity of Oxidative Hair Dyes. I. On the Mutagenicity of Hair Dye Intermediates oxidized by Hydrogen Peroxide

Abstract

Bacterial mutagenicity of five hair dye intermediates was examined after oxidation by hydrogen peroxide under alkaline condition (pH>10), using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 as the tester strain. Hair dye intermediates tested were p-phenylenediamine, p-toluylenediamine, o-nitro-p-phenylenediamine, and 2, 4-diaminoanisole. In the case of oxidation of p-phenylenediamine, m-phenylenediamine, or 2, 4-diaminoanisole, the mutagenic activity of aromatic diamine varied with the amine concentration in the reaction mixture. Similar effect was also observed with hydrogen peroxide. A lower mutagenic activity was observed when a lower concentration of amine or hydrogen peroxide was employed. Such a concentration effect was not significant in the oxidation of p-toluylenediamine and o-nitro-p-phenylenediamine. In the case of oxidation of amine mixtures, the derived mutagenic activity varied markedly with the molar ratio or the concentration of constituent amines. Therefore, the mutagenic activity of oxidative hair dyes might depend not only on the kind of hair dye intermediates in hair dye preparations, but also on their concentrations.