ASSESSMENT OF GENOTOXIC POTENTIAL OF PULP-MILL EFFLUENT AND AN EFFLUENT FRACTION USING AMES MUTAGENICITY AND UMU-C GENOTOXICITY ASSAYS

The Ames Mutagenicity Fluctuation and the Umu-C genotoxicity bioassays were applied to assess the genotoxic potential in pulp mill effluents and their fractions. Mutagenicity was measured in the filtered efflue nts and the methanol extract of the diethyl-amino-ethyl cellulose (DEA E) adsorbed materials by the Ames Fluctuation assay. The Umu-C genotox icity assay was applied only to the methanol extract of the DEAE adsor bed materials. Data indicate that the majority of the mutagenic substa nces from the filtered effluent were adsorbed by the DEAE cellulose an d were effectively recovered with methanol. Approximately 1/3 to 1/6 o f the materials in the effluent passed through the DEAE cellulose. The responses of the test organisms to genotoxic substances in the methan ol extract fractions were comparable, suggesting that either one of th ese two bioassays could be used in screening pulp and paper effluents for genotoxicity. (C) 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.