Benzene and the genotoxicity of its metabolites. I. Transplacental activity in mouse fetuses and in their dams.

Benzene and some of its metabolites (hydroquinone, phenol, catechol, 1,2,4-benzenetriol, p-benzoquinone, o,o'-biphenol, p,p'-biphenol) have been tested for their capability to induce micronuclei in bone marrow cells of pregnant mice and, transplacentally, in fetal liver cells. Dams are scarcely sensitive to the genotoxic activity of benzene and its metabolites while the latter are able to produce only evident toxic effects. Benzene and hydroquinone transplacentally induce micronuclei in fetal liver cells while all other metabolites show weak or negative genotoxicity, although they produce severe cellular toxicity.