Genotoxicity of Farbasol and its component: 4-ethyltoluene.

A combination of assays for gene mutations in Salmonella typhimurium TA97a, TA98, TA100 and TA102 strains with and without rat liver activation, and for micronucleus and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in bone marrow cells of Imp:Balb/c mice was used to provide data on the mutagenic and genotoxic properties of the mixture of aromatic solvents, known under the trade name of Farbasol. In addition, 4-ethyltoluene (the main ethylmethylbenzenic component of Farbasol) was also tested for muta- and genotoxicity. The results revealed that neither Farbasol nor 4-ethyltoluene induced an increased reverse mutation in bacterial cells or the formation of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes in bone marrow. However, those compounds were found to be active as sister chromatid exchange (SCE) agents.