Summary
The aerosol fraction of the oxidative thermal decomposition products (700°C) of rigid polyurethane foam was collected on glass fiber filters and fractionated into ether-soluble neutral, acidic, and basic fractions and water-soluble compounds. The fractions showed mutagenic activity in a bacterial fluctuation test with Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 or Escherichia coli CM 891 as the tester strains. All the fractions induced mutations in both strains after metabolic activation with rat liver S-9 mix. The basic and the water-soluble fractions were mutagenic for S. typhimurium TA 98 even without activation.
Thin-layer chromatography showed the presence of several primary aromatic amines in the aerosol. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were not detected by glass capillary gas chromatography.
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We thank the Finnish Academy and the Swedish Work Environment Fund (Grant 241 C/77) for financial aid
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Zitting, A., Falck, K. & Skyttä, E. Mutagenicity of aerosols from the oxidative thermal decomposition of rigid polyurethane foam. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 47, 47–52 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378327
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378327