Changes in mutagenic properties and chemical fate of benz (a) anthracene in chlorine-treated water with and without bromide ion

Abstract

Aqueous benz(a)anthracene [B(a)A] solution was treated with chlorine in the absence and presence of bromide ion. Changes in the composition of the halogenated products in water were determined by high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analyses of benzene extracts. Benz(a)anthracene was shown to produce a variety of halogenated compounds, including halogen-substituted B(a)As (BAXs), halogen additive B(a)As (polar compounds) and oxygenated products, B(a)A-7, 12-dione. Production of these compounds depends on the chlorine dose and the reaction time. It was found that oxidation reaction with chlorine of B(a)A in water are accelerated in the presence of bromide ion. Several components obtained from chlorination in water were mutagenic. Some BAXs were mutagenic in TA 100 strain with S-9 mix. The mutagenic responses of BAXs such as 7-chloroB(a)A (BACl) were weaker than that of original B(a)A. The fraction of polar compounds obtained by means of preparative HPLC showed direct mutagenic activities towards both tester strains.