ABSTRACT

With Ames assay there was examined mutagenicity of airborne particles that was sampled in summer and winter in centre of Wrocław; there were also examined fractions of aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons and polar compounds obtained from suspended matter extracts suspended with column chromatography. The strain of Salmonella typhimuńum ТА 98 was used with metabolic activation with S9 mix fraction. The samples collected in winter was more mutagenically active than the one sampled in summer. Mutagenicity of suspended matter sampled in summer was determined by compounds that were of more polar character than polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons soluble in hexane. There was observed a decrease in mutagenic activity of samples in summer due to metabolic activation. There were few polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the dust sampled in summer and they did not display mutagenic activity. Mutagenicity of air particles sampled in winter was determined by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons soluble in hexane and polar compounds. There was observed an increase in their mutagenic activity due to metabolic activation. This demonstrates that among them there are present promutagens, which, in mammals, undergo enzymatic transformation to compounds of direct mutagenic activity. Fractions of aliphatic hydrocarbons in the examined range of concentrations did not display mutagenic activity neither in summer nor in winter, both with and without metabolic activity.