The genotoxic potential of linear alkylbenzene mixtures in a short-term test battery.

Alkylate 215 (A-215), Alkylate 225 (A-225), and Alkylate 230 (A-230) are mixtures of C10-C14 linear alkylbenzenes used as intermediates for the manufacture of detergents. These products were evaluated for genotoxic activity in the Ames bacterial mutagenesis assay (strains TA98, 100, 1535, and 1537), the CHO/HGPRT mammalian cell forward gene mutation assay, and the in vivo rat bone marrow chromosome assay. The Ames and CHO/HGPRT assays were conducted both with and without the addition of Aroclor-induced rat liver S9. The maximum concentrations evaluated were 10 mg/plate (A-215) and 3 mg/plate (A-225 and A-230) for the Ames test, and 1.5 mg/ml (A-215 and A-225) and 2.0 mg/ml (A-230) for the CHO/HGPRT assay. In each case, the highest concentrations produced evidence of either toxicity or insolubility. The highest dose in the bone marrow cytogenetics assay was 12,700 mg/kg, a level which produced significant weight loss. The results of all tests were negative, indicating a lack of genotoxic activity as measured by the battery of tests used.