Genotoxicity of the coating lacquer on food cans, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), its hydrolysis products and a chlorohydrin of BADGE

The epoxy resin bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), its hydrolysis produc ts and a chlorohydrin of BADGE (BADGE 2HCl), were examined for their genoto xicity in the micronucleus test (MNT) with human peripheral blood lymphocyt es in vitro, in presence and in absence of an exogenous metabolizing system S9 rat liver. The treatment was done using different compound concentratio ns up to cytotoxic doses. The concentrations tested ranged between 12.5 to 62.5 mug/ml of BADGE, 12.5 to 62.5 mug/ml of first BADGE hydrolysis product (BADGE.H2O), 25.0 to 100.0 mug/ml of second BADGE hydrolysis product (BADG E.2H(2)O) and 6.25 to 50.0 mug/ml of BADGE.2HCl. These compounds are able t o induce both cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, as revealed by the increases observed in cytokinesis block proliferation index (CBPI) and in micronucle i (MN) frequencies, respectively. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B. V.