Mutagenic studies with acrylonitrile

The mutagenicity of acrylonitrile (vinyl cyanide, propenenitrile) has been demonstrated in the Ames Salmonella typhimurium/liver microsome assay system. Acrylonitrile, in the presence of a mouse liver homogenate produced mutations in the TA 1535, TA 1538 and TA 1978 strains. Exposure of the bacteria was achieved by spotting the acrylonitrile on a "lawn" of salmonella, by shaking a reaction mixture consisting of bacteria, liver homogenate and acrylonitrile, and by exposing the homogenate and bacteria to an atmosphere containing the acrylonitrile. Mutagenesis by this latter method was observed at exposures as low as 57 ppm, less than three times the TLV of 20 ppm that is designated in the United States.