INDUCTION OF MICRONUCLEI IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD AND BONE-MARROW ERYTHROCYTES OF RATS AND MICE EXPOSED TO 1,3-BUTADIENE BY INHALATION

Female CB6F1 mice and male Wistar rats were exposed to different conce ntrations of 1,3-butadiene (1,3-BD) by inhalation. Micronucleus tests using both peripheral brood erythrocytes and femoral marrow cells of t hese animals were performed. Cells were stained either using conventio nal acridine orange (AO) staining or supravitally using AO-coated slid es. Dose-dependent increases in the frequency of micronuclei (MN) were observed both in blood and in bone marrow cells in mice. 1,3-BD did n ot, however, increase the frequency of MN in either blood or bone marr ow cells of rats at any of the tested concentrations.