title: Evaluation of methods for destruction of some alkylating agents.
abstract: Destruction procedures for dimethylsulfate (DMS), diethylsulfate (DES), methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) have been investigated using treatment by 1 N NaOH, 1 N NH4OH, 1 M Na2CO3, and 1 M Na2S2O3. During the kinetic study of the destruction process, the determination of remaining concentrations of the alkylating agents was performed by the derivatization of p-nitrophenoxide to p-nitroanisole and p-nitrophenetole, which were separated by high performance liquid chromatography. The mutagenic activity of the destruction products was evaluated by the Ames test using Salmonella tester strains TA97, TA98, TA100, and TA102. The kinetics of destruction in every case followed a time-dependent exponential relationship. Solutions of 1 M Na2S2O3 showed the highest capacity for destruction of the four alkylating agents, half-lives of DMS, DES, MMS, and EMS being 0.14 min, 1.26 min, 0.60 min, and 5.26 min, respectively. No mutagenic activity was detected following complete destruction in 1 M Na2S2O3.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Méo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laget
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castegnaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duménil
mesh_terms: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D004350:Drug Residues / Q000633:toxicity; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006256:Hazardous Waste; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012475:Salmonella / Q000187:drug effects; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D006256:Hazardous Waste; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D009153:Mutagens; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate; C007482:dimethyl sulfate; C011612:diethyl sulfate