ACTIVITY OF AROMATIC-AMINES IN THE EYE - W W+ SOMATIC ASSAY OF DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER/

Aromatic amines represent a category of classical environmental hazard s which require biotransformation in order to exert their mutagenic an d carcinogenic effects. The mutagenic activity of several aromatic ami nes was tested by means of the w/w(+) somatic assay of Drosophila mela nogaster employing a wild-type strain Leiden Standard (LS) and an inse cticide-resistant stock Hikone-R (HK-R). Four monocyclic-ortho-anisidi ne (O-AN), ortho-toluidine (O-TO), 2,4-diaminoanisole (2,4-DAA) and 4- nitro-o-phenylenediamine (4-N-o-PDA), and one bicyclic- 4,4'-oxidianil ine (4,4'-ODA) aromatic amines were tested by chronic exposure. Two se parate experiments were run, and concurrent controls were treated with the solvent mixture. Results show that the ortho-anilines (O-AN and O -TO) were active in the assay, while the diamines containing a methoxy (2,4-DAA) or a nitro group (4-N-o-PDA) were inactive. The bicyclic ar omatic amine, 4,4'-ODA, was the most potent. The genotoxic responsiven ess of both strains was very similar. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.