Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Bioassay-directed chemical characterization of genotoxic agents in the dissolved and particulate water phases of the Besos and Llobregat Rivers (Barcelona, Spain)

  • Published:
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Particulate (>0.22 μm) and dissolved phases of water concentrates (600 mL) of Llobregat and Besos Rivers (Barcelona, Spain), were tested in the Salmonella/microsome assay, tester strains TA98 and TA100. Most of them showed significant mutagenic activity. However, independently of the application of exogenous metabolic activation, the dimethylsulfoxide extracts of the particulate matter exhibited a stronger mutagenic activity than the dissolved phase. This indicated that both rivers are chronically polluted by frameshift and base-pair substitution mutagens and promutagens. In order to investigate their identity, a bioassay-directed column chromatography fractionation of the base-neutrals isolated from the dissolved and particulate phases of Besos river water (7 L) was carried out. The mutagenic activity (TA98) was higher in presence of S9 and was recovered in the more polar fractions, where several mutagenic agents were identified by capillary GC-MS in the negative ion chemical ionization mode (NICI). Among them, o-tolidine, nitroquinoline, nitroaniline, dichlorobenzidine and several aromatic quinones were candidates for fraction mutagenicity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ames BN, McCann J, Yamasaki E (1975) Methods for detecting carcinogens and mutagens with the Salmonella/mammalian-microsome mutagenicity test. Mutat Res 31:347–364

    Google Scholar 

  • Babish JG, Johnson BE, Lisk DJ (1983) Mutagenicity of municipal sewage sludges of American cities. Environ Sci Technol 17:272–277

    Google Scholar 

  • Büser RC (1986) Selective detection of brominated aromatic compounds using gas chromatography/negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 58:2913–2919

    Google Scholar 

  • Chesis PL, Levin DE, Smith MT, Ermster L, Ames BN (1984) Mutagenicity of quinones: Pathways of metabolic activation and detoxification. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 81:1696–1700

    Google Scholar 

  • Dougherty RC (1981) Negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 53:625A-636A

    Google Scholar 

  • Dutka BJ, Jova A, Brenchin J (1981) Evaluation of four concentration/extraction procedures on waters and effluents collected for use with the Salmonella thyphimurium screening procedure for mutagens. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 27:758–764

    Google Scholar 

  • Erhardt-Zabik S, Watson JT, Zabik MJ (1990) Selective sensitivity of highly chlorinated species in negative ion mass spectrometry: implications for complex mixture analysis. Biomed Environ Mass Spectrom 19:101–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernández P, Grifoll M, Solanas AM, Bayona JM, Albaigés J (1992) Bioassay-directed chemical analysis of genotoxic components in coastal sediments. Environ Sci Technol (in press)

  • Gómez-Belinchón JI, Grimalt J, Albaigés J (1991) Volatile organic compounds in two polluted rivers in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) Water Res 25:577–589

    Google Scholar 

  • Grifoll M, Solnas AM, Parés R, Centellas V, Bayona JM, Albaigés J (1988) Assessment of mutagenic activity of coastal sediments off Barcelona. Tox Assess 3:315–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Grifoll M, Solanas AM, Bayona JM (1990) Characterization of genotoxic components in sediments by mass spectrometric techniques combined with Salmonella/microsome test. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 19:175–184

    Google Scholar 

  • IARC (dy1984) Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risk of chemicals to humans. vol. 33, Lyon, France

  • Karcher W (1988) Spectral Atlas of Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, Vol. 2, Kluwer, Dordrecht, Belgium

    Google Scholar 

  • Kier LE, Brusick DJ, Auletta AE, Von Halle, Brown MM, Simmond VF, Dunkel V, McCann J. Mortelmans K, Prival M, Rao TK, Ray V (1986) The Salomonella typhymurium/mammalian microsomal assay. A report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Gene-Tox Programm. Mutation Res 168:69–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Kreijl CF, Sloof W (1985) Mutagenic activity in Dutch river water and its biological significance for fish. In: Zimmermann FK, Taylor-Mayer RE (eds) Mutagenicity testing in environmental pollution control. pp. 86–104. Ellis Horwood, Chichester, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Kronberg L, Christman RF, Singh R, Ball LM (1991) Identification of oxidized and reduced forms of the strong bacterial mutagen (Z)-2-chloro-3-(dichloromethyl)-4-oxobutenoic acid (MX) in extracts of chlorine-treated water. Environ Sci Technol 25:99–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsden PJ, Gurka DF, Williams LR, Heaton JS, Hellerstein JP (1987) Interim procedures for preparing environmental samples for mutagenicity (Ames) testing. In: Suffet IH, Malaiyandi M (eds) Organic pollutants in water, ACS Symp Series, vol 214, Washington, DC, pp 15–38

  • Maruoka S, Yamanaka S (1983) Comparative studies using the Ames Salmonella/microsome test on mutagenicity of the XAD extract recovered from the river waters in Kyoto city. Environ Sci Technol 17:177–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Maruoka S, Yamanaka S, Yamamoto Y (1985) Mutagenic activity in organic concentrates from Nishistakase River water in Kyoto city, and its fractions separated by using liquid-liquid fractionation and thin-layer chromatography. Water Res 19:249–256

    Google Scholar 

  • McCann J, Sringarn NE, Kobori J, Ames BN (1975) Detection of carcinogens as mutagens: Bacterial tester strains with R factor plasmids. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 72:979–983

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore RL, Osborne LL, Davies RW (1980) The mutagenic activity in a section of the Sheep river in Alberta receiving chlorinated sewage effluent. Water Res 14:917–920

    Google Scholar 

  • Oishi S, Takahasi O (1987) Mutagenicity of Tama river sediments. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 39:696–700

    Google Scholar 

  • Pelon W, Whitman BF, Beasley TW (1977) Reversion of histidine-dependent mutant strains of Salmonella thyphimurium by Mississippi river samples. Environ Sci Technol 11:617–623

    Google Scholar 

  • Rappaport SM, Richard MG, Holstein MC, Talcott RE (1979) Mutagenicity in organic wastewater concentrates. Environ Sci Technol 13:957–961

    Google Scholar 

  • Ringhand HP, Meier JR, Kopfler FC, Schenck KM, Kaylor WH, Michell DE (1987) Importance of sample pH on recovery of mutagenicity from drinking water XAD resins. Environ Sci Technol 21:382–387

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenkranz HS, Mermelstein R (1983) Mutagenicity and genotoxicity of nitroarenes. All nitro-containing chemicals were not created equal. Mutation Res 114:217–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Sato T, Momma T, Ose Y, Ishikawa T, Kato K (1983) Mutagenicity of Nagara river sediment. Mutation Res 118:257–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuetzle D, Lewtas J (1986) Bioassay-directed chemical analysis in environmental research. Anal Chem 58:1060A-1075A

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon LS, Hites RA (1978) Organic compounds in the Delaware river. Environ Sci Technol 12:1188–1194

    Google Scholar 

  • Sloof W, van Kreijl CF (1962) Monitoring the rivers Rhine and Meuse in the Netherlands for mutagenic activity using the Ames test in combination with rat or fish liver homogenates. Aquatic Toxicol 2:89–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Soderman JV (1982) Handbook of identified carcinogens and noncarcinogens: Carcinogenicity-mutagenicity database. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL

    Google Scholar 

  • Solanas AM, Parés R, Marfil C, Albaigés J (1983) A comparative study of chemical and microbiological monitoring of pollutant hydrocarbons in urban aquatic environments. In: Chemistry and analysis of hydrocarbons in the environment, Gordon and Breach, New York, pp 77–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Stemmler EA, Hites RA (1988) Electron capture negative ion mass spectra of environmental contaminants and related compounds. VCH, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki J, Sadaamasu T, Suzuki S (1982) Mutagenic activity of organic matter in an urban river sediment. Environ Pollut Ser A 29:91–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabor MW, Loper JC (1981) Separation of mutagens from drinking water using coupled bioassay/analytical fractionation. In: Frei RW, Brikman UATh (eds) Mutagenicity testing and related analytical techniques, Gordon and Breach, New York, pp 139–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Valls M, Bayona JM, Albaigés J (1990) Broad spectrum analysis of ionic and non-ionic organic microcontaminants in urban wastewaters and coastal receiving aquatic systems. Intl J Environ Anal Chem 39:329–348

    Google Scholar 

  • West WR, Smith PA, Booth GM, Wise SA, Lee ML (1986) Isolation and detection of genotoxic components in a Black River sediment. Environ Sci Technol 22:224–228

    Google Scholar 

  • Yahagi T, Nagao M, Seino Y, Matsushima T, Sugimura T, Osaka M (1977) Mutagenicities of N-nitroamines on Salmonella. Mutation Res 48:121–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeiger E (1987) Carcinogenicity of mutagens: predicitive capability of the Salmonella Mutagenisis Assay for rodent carrcinogenicity. Cancer Res 47:1287–1296

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbiology Department, School of Biology, Diagonal, 645, 08028, Barcelona

    M. Grifoll & A. M. Solanas

  2. Environmental Chemistry Department, C.I.D.-C.S.I.C., Jordi Girona Salgado, 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    J. M. Bayona

Authors
  1. M. Grifoll
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. M. Solanas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. M. Bayona
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Grifoll, M., Solanas, A.M. & Bayona, J.M. Bioassay-directed chemical characterization of genotoxic agents in the dissolved and particulate water phases of the Besos and Llobregat Rivers (Barcelona, Spain). Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 23, 19–25 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225991

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00225991

Keywords

Search

Navigation