Progress in the isolation and characterization of non-volatile mutagens in a drinking-water.

Using the Ames Salmonella mutagenicity test (TA98, without S9), non-volatile mutagenic fractions were obtained by applying a separation scheme on XAD extracts of Pretoria drinking-water. The fractionations obtained were based on solubility, volatility, permeation and adsorption and the mutagenicity yield of each step was estimated. One mutagenic fraction consisted of humic like material, possibly together with polar polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.