Occupational hazard evaluation of p-bromobenzyl bromide from tests for genotoxicity

As part of an occupational hazard evaluation, p-bromobenzyl bromide (p-BBB) was evaluated for genotoxic activity in the Ames microbial mutagenicity as say, the alkaline elution assay for DNA strand breaks in rat hepatocytes an d the in vitro chromosome aberration assay in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The compound produced equivocal results in the microbial mutagenicity assay but was negative in the alkaline elution assay for DNA strand breaks in ra t hepatocytes. The compound produced weakly positive results in the in vitr o chromosome aberration assay. There was substantial cytotoxicity in all th ree assays. It is concluded that p-BBB is weakly genotoxic.