Genotoxicity studies of methyl isocyanate in Salmonella, Drosophila, and cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells.

The genotoxic effects of methyl isocyanate (MIC) were investigated using four short-term tests: the Salmonella reversion assay (Ames test), the Drosophila sex-linked recessive lethal assay, and the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosomal aberration assays in cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. No evidence was found for the induction of mutations in either Salmonella or Drosophila. MIC did, however, induce SCEs and chromosomal aberrations in CHO cells both in the presence and absence of Aroclor-induced rat liver S-9.