Estimating the mass of mutagens in indeterminate mixtures

A method is shown for estimating the quantity (mass) of genotoxic compounds in complex mixtures without prior identification of components. This method uses fractiles of the probability distribution of responses from the assay of interest and dose-response of the mixture. The method depends upon the assumption of additivity, on average, in the interaction of mutagens and on lognormality of the distribution of mutagen molecular weights. Mass estimates are necessary for hazard characterization, risk estimation, and risk assessment. The method is illustrated using Ames assay results from a coke plant wastewater.