Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of nitroarenes and their sources in the environment

Nitroarenes are postulated to play a principal part among mutagens/carcinogens which are induced in the combustion process and, in addition, are widely distributed in the environment. This review deals with the following points concerning nitroarene toxicity. Data on the mutagenicity of nitroarenes obtained by short-term bioassays are expected to provide us with sufficient information for us to determine their genotoxicity and carcinogenicity. Therefore, mutagenicity detected with Salmonella, Escherichia, and yeast test systems is discussed. Genotoxicity in mammalian cells is also important for determining the mutagenic properties of nitroarenes. In this article, mutagenicity in Chinese hamster ovary cells, sister chromatid exchanges, and cell transformation is summarized. The metabolism of nitroarenes in vivo and in vitro is of importance for determining their behavior and active forms. Therefore, current studies regarding metabolism of nitroarenes are described. Carcinogenicity of nitroarenes for animals has been reported by many workers. In this review, the incidence and histological features of tumors induced by nitroarenes are described. Furthermore, the possible association between human lung cancer and nitroarenes is discussed. Sources of nitroarenes in the environment are given. The results of various chemical tests for identifying nitroarenes are summarized, and speculation on the risk of nitroarenes for humans is presented.