Skip to main content
Log in

Negative results ofumu genotoxicity test of fluorotelomer alcohols and perfluorinated alkyl acids

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine Aims and scope

Abstract

Objectives

Recently, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) has been ubiquitously detected in the environment as well as in human serum. Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), a precursor of PFOA, undergo biodegradation via several metabolic routes which leads to formation of various biodegradation products. The degradation of FTOHs produces an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde that seems possibly to be electrophilic and may react with cellular macromolecules including DNA.

Methods

We investigated the genotoxicity of three FTOHs (6∶2 FTOH, 8∶2 FTOH and 10∶2 FTOH), PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) using theumu test.

Results

The FTOHs, PFOA and PFOS showed no significant increases in β-galactosidase activity at 0–1000 μM in the absence of S9 mix. The results were unchanged by the metabolic activation with S9 mix.

Conclusion

The genotoxicities of FTOHs, PFOA or PFOS are not detectable using the present method, suggesting that they are unlikely mutagens.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  1. Nakayama S, Harada K, Inoue K, Sasaki K, Seery B, Saito N, et al. Distributions of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in Japan and their toxicities. Environ Sci. 2005;12:293–313.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ellis DA, Martin JW, De Silva AO, Mabury SA, Hurley MD, Andersen MPS, et al. Degradation of fluorotelomer alcohols: a likely atmospheric source of perfluorinated carboxylic acids. Environ Sci Technol. 2004;38:3316–3321.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kissa E. Fluorinated Surfactants and Repellents, 2nd ed. New York: Marcel Dekker; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Martin JW, Muir DC, Moody CA, Ellis DA, Kwan WC, Solomon KR, et al. Collection of airborne fluorinated organics and analysis by gas chromatography/chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Anal Chem. 2002;74:584–590.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Jahnke A, Ahrens L, Ebinghaus R, Temme C. Urban versus remote air concentrations of fluorotelomer alcohols and other polyfluorinated alkyl substances in Germany. Environ Sci Technol. 2007:10.1021/es0619861.

  6. Kärrman A, van Bavel B, Jarnberg U, Hardell L, Lindström G. Perfluorinated chemicals in relation to other persistent organic pollutants in human blood. Chemosphere. 2006;64: 1582–1591.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Abdellatif AG, Preat V, Taper HS, Roberfroid M. The modulation of rat liver carcinogenesis by perfluorooctanoic acid, a peroxisome proliferator. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1991;111:530–537.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Martin JW, Mabury SA, O’Brien PJ. Metabolic products and pathways of fluorotelomer alcohols in isolated rat hepatocytes. Chem Biol Interact. 2005;155:165–180.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Oda Y, Yamazaki H, Watanabe M, Nohmi T, Shimada T. Highly sensitive umu test system for the detection of mutagenic nitroarenes inSalmonella typhimurium NM3009 having high O-acetyltransferase and nitroreductase activities. Environ Mol Mutagen. 1993;21:357–364.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Oda Y, Yamazaki H, Watanabe M, Nohmi T, Shimada T. Development of high sensitive umu test system: rapid detection of genotoxicity of promutagenic aromatic amines bySalmonella typhimurium strain NM2009 possessing high O-acetyltransferase activity. Mutat Res. 1995;334:145–156.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Oda Y, Nakamura S, Oki I, Kato T, Shinagawa H. Evaluation of the new system (umu test) for the detection of environmental mutagens and carcinogens. Mutat Res. 1985;147:219–229.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Miller JH. Experiments in Molecular Genetics. Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kennedy GL, Jr., Butenhoff JL, Olsen GW, O’Connor JC, Seacat AM, Perkins RG, et al. The toxicology of perfluorooctanoate. Crit Rev Toxicol. 2004;34:351–384.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Sohlenius AK, Andersson K, DePierre JW. The effects of perfluoro-octanoic acid on hepatic peroxisome proliferation and related parameters show no sex-related differences in mice. Biochem J. 1992;285 (Pt 3):779–783.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Klaunig JE, Babich MA, Baetcke KP, Cook JC, Corton JC, David RM, et al. PPARα agonist-induced rodent tumors: modes of action and human relevance. Crit Rev Toxicol. 2003;33:655–780.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Maras M, Vanparys C, Muylle F, Robbens J, Berger U, Barber JL, et al. Estrogen-like properties of fluorotelomer alcohols as revealed by MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation. Environ Health Perspect. 2006;114:100–105.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Andervont HB, Shimkin MB, Canter HY. The growth of estrogen-induced interstitial-cell testicular tumors in BALB/c mice. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1960;24:1219–1237.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akio Koizumi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Oda, Y., Nakayama, S., Harada, K.H. et al. Negative results ofumu genotoxicity test of fluorotelomer alcohols and perfluorinated alkyl acids. Environ Health Prev Med 12, 217–219 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1265/ehpm.12.217

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1265/ehpm.12.217

Key words

Navigation