Abstract
The mutagenicity of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) was used to study the advantage of a modified Ames test devised to detect volatile liquid mutagens with bacteria. The test compound, dissolved in DMSO, was spread with filter paper on the lid of a glass plate. These plates were then sealed up with adhesive tape to allow the compound to vapor. A PCE sample containing epoxides was directly mutagenic for Salmonella Typhimurium His- strains, TA100, TA102, TA104 and TA1535. However a purified sample did not increased the number of his+ revertants over the control value when tested with or without CD1 male mice S9 mix. The quantity of the test compound in the soft ager after exposure was achieved by gas chromatography. The quantity of PCE ; 30, 20, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 mg/filter paper in the plate was 4.41, 1.04, 0.49, 0.13, 0.11 and 0.09 mg/soft ager in test plate, respectively. This concentration of PCE may have a great effect on bacteria, and this method may be useful for evaluating the mutagenicity of a volatile liquid. Thus, it is implied that PCE is one of the non-mutagenic carcinogen in Ames test.
