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Comparative carcinogenic and mutagenic activity of coal tar and petroleum asphalt paints used in potable water supply systems
Author(s) -
Robinson M.,
Buii R. J.,
Munch J.,
Meier J.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of applied toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.784
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1099-1263
pISSN - 0260-437X
DOI - 10.1002/jat.2550040110
Subject(s) - bioassay , coal tar , carcinogen , tar (computing) , petroleum , asphalt , chemistry , ames test , toxicology , petroleum product , environmental chemistry , coal , waste management , environmental science , biology , materials science , organic chemistry , salmonella , genetics , computer science , bacteria , engineering , composite material , programming language
Coal tar and petroleum asphalt paints are among the products used as coatings for water pipes and storage tanks to retard corrosion. Formulations of these coatings were tested in the Ames mutagenesis and the mouse skin carcinogenesis bioassays. To test the mutagenicity of the paints, six doses ranging from 0.005 to 10 μl per plate were assayed. In the mouse skin bioassay, doses of the coal tar paints ranging from 0.2 to 200 μl were administered topically to 30 SENCAR mice per group. These initiating doses were followed by applications of 1.0 μg of 12‐o‐tetradecanoyl‐phorbol‐13‐acetate (TPA) in 0.2 ml acetone topically, three times weekly for 20 weeks. Petroleum asphalt paints were tested in groups of 40 animals at 200 and 600 μl doses. All coal tar paints showed mutagenic activity after metabolic activation with S‐9, with the highest response being in strains TA 98 and TA 100. None of the petroleum asphalt paints gave mutagenic responses. Both types of coatings resulted in positive responses in the initiation/promotion study. The coal tar paints gave rise to 1000–1800 times the tumor response observed with petroleum asphalt products. One coal tar product was positive when tested as a complete carcinogen in the mouse at 2 μl per application once weekly for 30 weeks, whereas the asphalt paint was negative at 100 times the dose. The biological responses to the products were greater than expected from their polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) content. These findings suggest that the hazard posed by these coatings may not be fully explained by their PAH contents.