Enhancement of benzo[a]pyrene mutagenicity by chrysotile asbestos in rat liver epithelial cells.

The co-mutagenicity of chrysotile asbestos and benzo[a]pyrene (B(a)P) was studied in adult rat liver (ARL-18) epithelial cells. Exposure to chrysotile alone did not increase the mutant incidence whereas B(a)P was mutagenic. Simultaneous exposure of the cells to chrysotile and B(a)P resulted in an enhanced mutant recovery compared to exposure to either of these substances alone. However, chrysotile did not enhance the mutagenicity of the carcinogen, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.