Correlation between mutagenicity of airborne particles and air pollution parameters in eleven Italian towns

Organic extracts from airborne particles collected in 11 Italian towns between February and April, 1988, were tested for mutagenicity on TA98 and TA100 (± S9), and their nitroreductase (NR) deficient Salmonella strains, by the use of the Ames plate incorporation assay. Mutagenic responses were fitted by an equation which takes into account toxic effects on tester organisms. Generally parallel responses were obtained with the two Salmonella strains, but the TA98 gave, mostly, higher increases of revertants over the control level. No dramatic decreases in mutagenicity were observed with the NR derivative strains, except in a few cases with TA98NR and, more frequently, with TA100NR strains. Meteorological variables seem not to be significantly correlated with mutagenicity variations, while the highest correlation (r = 0.91) was observed between induced reversion in TA98 (+ S9) and NMHC concentration in air.