Evaluation of the mutagenic activity of some phenanthroisoquinolines in Salmonella typhimurium.

The mutagenic activity of 3 aza-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are suspected of being environmental pollutants, was assessed using the Salmonella assay. The compounds tested were phenanthro[9,10-g]isoquinoline, phenanthro[2,3-h]isoquinoline, and phenanthro[3,2-h]isoquinoline. None of the compound was mutagenic in the absence of S9, but all were mutagenic in the presence of S9.