[Mutagenic activity of carcinogens and other chemical agents in Salmonella typhimurium tests].

One-hundred and six chemical compounds were tested in Ames test with bacteria Salmonella typhimurium. Eight different strains (mainly, TA98 and TA100) were used. Liver S9 from Aroclor-treated rats was employed for metabolic activation. In group I comprising 51 compounds with sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity for animals, 45 were mutagenic while 6 (urethane, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine, DDT, chlorophorm, 1,4-dioxane and carbon tetrachloride) were not. In group 2 (27 noncarcinogenic compounds), 22 agents failed to exhibit mutagenicity whereas 5 (acrolein, styrene-oxide, acridine orange, I-naphthylamine and dichlormethane) revealed such activity. In groups 1 and 2, the sensitivity was 88.2, specificity--81.5 and predictive value--90%. In group 3 consisting of 28 agents used in chemical, pharmaceutical and food industries but not yet tested for mutagenicity and for the carcinogenicity of which no conclusive data are available, seven appeared to be mutagens (1-aminoanthraquinone, 2-aminoanthraquinone, 1-amino-4-chloranthraquinone, based blue, dinitrochlorbenzene, nitrosodiphenylamine and 2,3,5-trinitronaphthalene).