title: In Vitro Genotoxicity Testing: Significance and Use in Environmental Monitoring.
abstract: There is ongoing concern about the consequences of mutations in humans and biota arising from environmental exposures to industrial and other chemicals. Genetic toxicity tests have been used to analyze chemicals, foods, drugs, and environmental matrices such as air, water, soil, and wastewaters. This is because the mutagenicity of a substance is highly correlated with its carcinogenicity. However, no less important are the germ cell mutations, because the adverse outcome is related not only to an individual but also to population levels. For environmental analysis the most common choices are in vitro assays, and among them the most widely used is the Ames test (Salmonella/microsome assay). There are several protocols and methodological approaches to be applied when environmental samples are tested and these are discussed in this chapter, along with the meaning and relevance of the obtained responses. Two case studies illustrate the utility of in vitro mutagenicity tests such as the Ames test. It is clear that, although it is not possible to use the outcome of the test directly in risk assessment, the application of the assays provides a great opportunity to monitor the exposure of humans and biota to mutagenic substances for the purpose of reducing or quantifying that exposure.
authors.affiliation: School of Technology, UNICAMP, Rua Dr Paschoal Marmo 1888, 13484-332, Limeira, SP, Brazil. giselau@ft.unicamp.br.
authors.forename: Gisela De Aragao
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Umbuzeiro
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Minne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heringa
authors.affiliation: Errol Zeiger Consulting, 800 Indian Springs Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
authors.forename: Errol
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zeiger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D054750:Ecotoxicology / Q000379:methods; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D042822:Genomic Instability / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009153:Mutagens
keywords: Ames test; Cancer; Environmental testing; Germ cell mutations; Mutagenicity