MUTAGENICITY DETERMINATION OF THE WASTE-WATER EMITTED FROM PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN TAIWAN

Thirty-eight wastewater samples were collected from 19 petrochemical p lants located in Taiwan during 1991. These plants represented most of petrochemical industry in Taiwan. Water samples were passed through an XAD-2 resin column and then eluted by acetone. The mutagenicity of wa stewater was determined by the Ames Salmonella/microsome test. 52.6 an d 26.3% of wastewater collected respectively in summer and winter were found to exhibit mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 a nd TA 100. Four samples collected from 2 plants had higher levels of m utagenicity. The measurement and identification of mutagenic pollutant s in this kind of wastewater need further investigation.