MUTAGENIC PEROXIDES IN DIETHYL-ETHER

Concentration of water-saturated commercial samples of diethyl ether b y a stream of nitrogen yielded an aqueous residue mutagenic in S. typh imurium strains TA100 and TA102, but not TA1535. Reverse phase high-pe rformance liquid chromatography resolved the mixture into 4 UV absorbi ng peaks, each of which was positive for peroxide and mutagenic in str ain TA100 and TA102. One of these was identified as H2O2 based on HPLC retention time and sensitivity to decomposition by catalase, and anot her as 1-ethoxyethylhydroperoxide, based on its H-1-NMR spectrum. The mutagenic peroxides appeared to be stable in water between pH 3 and 6, but unstable above pH 7; they were less stable in methanol, acetonitr ile, and least stable in chloroform, in which they partially decompose d after 24 h at 20-degrees-C. Generalization of the results suggests t hat adverse effects observed in vitro and in vivo with chemicals conta ining ether linkages that actually have been caused by contaminant per oxides and reactive oxygen compounds.