Studies on benzene mutagenesis. I. The micronucleus test.

The mutagenic action of benzene was studied by means of the micronucleus test performed on mice. A linear dose effect relationship was found for the percentage of micronucleated erythrocytes, against the benzene-dose logarithms. A significant dose effect correlation was found either after the standard 30-h experiments or after a prolonged 54-h one. A higher effect was found in the prolonged experiments, suggesting the induction of a delay in the cell cycle by benzene.