The mutagenicity of saccharin impurities. I. Detection of mutagenic activity.

Sodium saccharin, ortho-toluenesulfonamide and impurities extracted from commercially produced saccharin with water and organic solvents were tested for mutagenicity with strains of Salmonella typhimurium. The organic solvent soluble impurities exhibited strong mutagenic activity for TA98 and slight activity for TA100. Mutagenic activity for S. typhimurium TA98 was demonstrated in extracts of some but not all lots of sodium saccharin produced by both Maumee and Remsen-Fahlberg processes. The significance of the mutagenic impurity to the carcinogenicity of saccharin is discussed.