Mutagenic effects of petrol in Drosophila melanogaster I. Effects of benzene and 1,2-dichloroethane.
Commercial petrol and two of its components, benzene and 1,2-dichloroethane, were tested for mutagenicity in Drosophila melanogaster. The chemicals were given to larvae through their food supply. A genetically unstable sexlinked test system caused by a transposable genetic element was used. Mutagenicity was measured by the frequency of somatic mutations for eye pigmentation. Commercial petrol and 1,2-dichloroethane showed mutagenic activity. With the system used, benzene did not show any mutagenic activity. The high frequency of mutations induced by 1,2-dichloroethane indicate the existence in Drosophila of a metabolic activating system.
D000818:Animals; D001554:Benzene / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005025:Ethylene Dichlorides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005127:Eye Color; D005742:Gasoline; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005796:Genes; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007814:Larva; D009153:Mutagens; D009154:Mutation; D010578:Petroleum
D005025:Ethylene Dichlorides; D005742:Gasoline; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D009153:Mutagens; D010578:Petroleum; D001554:Benzene