The effect of carcinogenic and other related compounds on the autoxidation of carotene and other autoxidizable systems.

Several investigators have shown that certain carcinogenic chemicals and polycydic hydrocar bons inhibit the autoxidation of benzaldehyde and lipoidal materials (5—7).This effect on benzalde hyde was confirmed. Further experiments carried out with carotene in solvents containing carbon tetrachioride or benzoyl peroxide showed that, un der the influence of light, many carcinogens and some other hydrocarbons caused an increase in the rate of oxidation of the carotene. The results corn pared well with those obtained in another photo chemical method in which certain leuco dyestuffs, in the presence of silver bromide, were dehydro genated very rapidly under illumination, when treated with carcinogens (4).