[Use of the bacterial flocculation test for assessing the mutagenic properties of carcinogenic nitrosamines and nitramines].

Fluctuation test developed by Green allows to detect the mutagenicity of trace and non-toxic chemical concentrations. Mutagenic activity of both carcinogenic nitramines--nitrodimethylamine, nitrodiethylamine and nitromorpholine (0.1--10 mM) and their nitrosamine analogues-nitrosodimethylamine, nitrosodiethylamine and nitrosomorpholine (0.01--0.1 mM) was detected in fluctuation test with Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and TA 1530 as indicator organism in the presence of postmitochondrial supernatant from liver of rats treated with Aroclor 1254. Nearly all compounds appeared to be mutagenic even in the absence of co-factors of microsomal oxygenation.