Generation of mutagenicity by ozonation of humic substances' components.

Components of humic substances, such as vanillin, syringaldehyde, vanillic acid and di-n-butylphtalate, were ozonated and subjected to the mutagenicity assay using Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and 100 with and without S9 mix. The strong mutagenic activity was found on all components except di-n-butylphtalate by strain TA 100 with and without S9 mix. Substances with strong mutagenic activity in ozonated vanillin were water-soluble and were slightly extracted with benzene, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate. Following gel chromatography on Sephadex G-10, the strong mutagens generated by ozonation were found with molecular weights greater than 300.