Activity of aromatic amines in the eye: w/w+ somatic assay of Drosophila melanogaster.

Aromatic amines represent a category of classical environmental hazards which require biotransformation in order to exert their mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. The mutagenic activity of several aromatic amines was tested by means of the w/w+ somatic assay of Drosophila melanogaster employing a wild-type strain Leiden Standard (LS) and an insecticide-resistant stock Hikone-R (HK-R). Four monocyclicortho-anisidine (O-AN), ortho-toluidine (O-TO), 2,4-diaminoanisole (2,4-DAA) and 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (4-N-o-PDA), and one bicyclic- 4,4'-oxidianiline (4,4'-ODA) aromatic amines were tested by chronic exposure. Two separate experiments were run, and concurrent controls were treated with the solvent mixture. Results show that the ortho-anilines (O-AN and O-TO) were active in the assay, while the diamines containing a methoxy (2,4-DAA) or a nitro group (4-N-o-PDA) were inactive. The bicyclic aromatic amine, 4,4'-ODA, was the most potent. The genotoxic responsiveness of both strains was very similar.