IN-VIVO CYTOGENETIC EFFECTS OF NATURAL HUMIC-ACID

As humic compounds are naturally widespread in the environment and pre sent in surface water, studies on their genotoxicity are justified, Hu mic acid (HA) has not been demonstrated to be genotoxic either in vitr o or in vivo, In the present paper we investigated its activity both i n intestinal and bone marrow cells following a single dose (100 mg/kg b.w. corresponding to 0.5 ml per animal of an aqueous solution of 4 g/ l) of HA administered to mice by gastric intubation, to mimic the most likely route of human exposure, HA induced structural and, in particu lar, numerical chromosome abnormalities in intestinal cells, A margina l, non-significant induction of aneuploidy was also found in bone marr ow cells.