Mutagenicity of four hair dyes in Drosophila melanogaster.

The hair dye constituents p-phenylenediamine, 2,4-diaminoanisole sulfate, 2,4-diaminotoluene and 4-nitro-0-phenylenediamine were tested for mutagenicity in Drosophila melanogaster. The compounds were given orally to adult males. The induction of sex-linked recessive lethal mutation was used as a measure of mutagenicity. All four of the dyes tested were mutagenic with a peak mutagenic activity in metabolically active germ cells (spermatids and spermatocytes).