Lack of mutagenic activity of white spirit.

The mutagenic potential of white spirit, a typical mixture of primarily aliphatic hydrocarbons used as a solvent, was investigated using a battery of test systems. The ability of this compound to induce gene mutations was assayed by the Ames' test with different strains of Salmonella typhimurium; its potential clastogenicity was tested in vivo on mouse bone marrow cells; in vitro induction of sister chromatid exchanges was studied in human lymphocytes. Negative results were obtained in all test systems. It is concluded that, in spite of its evident toxicity, white spirit does not display mutagenic properties.