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Test systems for mutagenicity screening of environmental chemicals and their relevance for the evaluation of genetic hazards to man

  • International Symposium on Environmental Carcinogenesis Dec. 9–11, 1979, Cancer Research Institute (Tata Memorial Centre) Bombay
  • Etiologic Studies
  • Published:
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Summary

Mutagenicity test systems play a dual role in public health: (1) to identify chemicals in our environment that are capable of causing genetic alterations and thus pose a threat of genetic damage to generations yet unborn and (2) as a faster screen (than many of the conventional carcinogenicity tests) to identify chemicals with carcinogenic potentials. In this paper the different mutagenicity test systems currently available are reviewed together with a discussion of their advantages and disadvantages. It is argued that our current data base does not permit a realistic quantitative assessment of genetic hazards ensuing from exposure to environmental chemicals and that only qualitative conclusions are possible. A framework which may be useful in the context of the latter is briefly outlined.

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  1. Department of Radiation Genetics and Chemical Mutagenesis, Sylvius Laboratories State University of Leiden, Wassenaarseweg 72, Leiden

    K. Sankaranarayanan

  2. The J. A. Cohen Interuniversity Institute for Radiopathology and Radiation Protection, The Netherlands

    K. Sankaranarayanan

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Sankaranarayanan, K. Test systems for mutagenicity screening of environmental chemicals and their relevance for the evaluation of genetic hazards to man. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 99, 87–102 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00412446

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