Genetic effects of dioxins in the spot test with mice

More than any other environmental chemicals, dioxins have been in the limelight of public interest for about 10 years. In addition to carcinogenicity, genetic risk is a cause for concern. Mutagenicity tests performed so far do not give a clear picture. The mutagenic potential of dioxins has to be considered weak or absent. Therefore, it seemed profitable to investigate comutagenicity and co-recombinogenicity of dioxins more thoroughly. The only useful method for investigating comutagenicity and co-recombinogenicity of dioxins in vivo is the spot test with mice. In this test system, a number of cocarcinogens and tumor promoters have shown comutagenic or co-recombinogenic effects. In the present study, tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and two environmental dioxin mixtures (pentachlorodibenzodioxin - PCDD - 1 and 2) were tested for genetic activity.