In vitro mutagenicity and genotoxicity study of a number of short-chain chlorinated hydrocarbons using the micronucleus test and the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis technique (Comet assay) in human lymphocytes: a structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis of the genotoxic and cytotoxic potential.

Using the micronucleus (MN) test and the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay, potential mutagenicity (MN formation), genotoxicity (DNA breakage capacity) and cytotoxicity (cell proliferation reduction) of five chlorinated hydrocarbons (carbon tetrachloride, hexachloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1-chlorohexane and 2,3-dichlorobutane) have been evaluated in isolated human lymphocytes. With the MN test a low but statistically significant mutagenic activity was detected for all tested substances (except 2,3-dichlorobutane) with one out of the two donors and in the presence or absence of an exogenous metabolic activation system (S9 mix). However, at the concentration ranges tested none of the positive compounds induced a clear dose-dependent mutagenic effect. The Comet assay detected a strong DNA damaging effect for 1-chlorohexane, 2,3-dichlorobutane and 1,2-dichloroethane, but not for carbon tetrachloride and hexachloroethane. The influence of metabolism on the genotoxic activity of the chemicals was more clear in the Comet assay than in the MN test. The experimental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity data obtained in this study, together with data on five more related chemicals previously investigated, and their physico-chemical descriptors or electronic parameters have been used for QSAR analysis. The QSAR analysis high-lighted that the toxicity of the tested compounds was influenced by different parameters, like lipophilicity (logP), electron donor ability (charge) and longest carbon-chlorine (LBC-Cl) bond length. In addition, steric parameters, like molar refractivity (MR) and LBC-Cl, and electronic parameters, like ELUMO (energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, indicating electrophilicity), were predominant factors discriminating genotoxins from non-genotoxins in the presence but not in the absence of S9 mix. Although a limited number of compounds have been examined and cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were identified in two different bioassay tests, the data set was obtained by the same experimentor, strengthening the reliability of the QSAR.