Chemical mutagenesis testing in Drosophila. II. Results of 20 coded compounds tested for the National Toxicology Program.

Results are presented from mutagenesis testing in Drosophila of 20 coded compounds. Two compounds were positive in the sex-linked recessive lethal test, and two were inconclusive. The positive compounds were calcium chromate in adult feeding experiments and ferrocene after adult injection. The two inconclusive compounds were 2,4-diaminophenol dihydrochloride and hexachlorocyclopentadiene. Compounds that produced a positive response were assayed for chromosome breakage using the conventional translocation test. Calcium chromate was negative in the translocation test, and ferrocene was positive. Many of the test compounds were poorly soluble in water, raising questions regarding the effective concentration to which the flies were exposed.