Chromatographic and cytogenetic analysis of in vivo metabolites of fluoranthene.

Fluoranthene metabolites in rat serum were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV and fluorescence detection and compared with in vitro metabolites obtained by incubation with microsomal fraction of rat hepatocytes. In order to resolve very polar fluorescent compounds present in rat serum, a modification of HPLC existing methods for in vitro metabolites separation was necessary. Mutagenic 2,3-dihydrodiol was identified in both in vitro sample and rat serum: this result is in good accord with cytogenetic analysis on rats bone marrow cells, that shows a slight but significant increase of sister chromatide exchanges.