CONVERSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL-POLLUTANT TO MUTAGENS BY VISIBLE-LIGHT

Illumination of DMBA [7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene] 3-methlcholanthrene, 2-aminoanthracene and chrysene with visible light resulted in the formation of direct-acting chemicals endowed with genotoxic and frameshift mutagenic activities [as shown by experiments with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 strain]. These findings may be of relevance in assessing the potential [human] health hazards inherent in the planned conversion to disel fuels which is expected to result in increased atmospheric levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.