Mutagenic effects of vinyl chloride on Drosophila melanogaster with and without pretreatment with sodium phenobarbiturate.

Treatment of Drosophila males with 1--20% vinyl chloride in air gave an increased frequency of complete and mosaic recessive lethals. Pretreatment with phenobarbiturate for 24 h caused an increase in the mutagenic effect of vinyl chloride. This indicates that the mixed-function oxygenase system can be induced in Drosophila in the same way as in mammals.