[Detection of alkylating air pollutants (author's transl)]

Occupational toxicological observations made during the last few years have shown that the respiratory intake of certain alkylating compounds entails a major carcinogenic risk even at concentrations below 1 ppm. Such inhalation carcinogens can also stem from photochemical and spontaneous chemical reactions in the atmosphere and not merely from direct emissions. For the examination of air samples for alkylating activities simple colorimetric test methods are available. Some of them must be considerably modified and matched to the reaction of the various alkylating compounds. In this manner colour reactions of, in part, high selectivity are obtained: thus, for example, carcinogenic alpha halogen ether can be detected in concentrations of 10 ng/ml test solution. By the use of sensitive colorimetric methods of analysis it was possible to fractionate the alkylating activity found in the exhaust gases of automobiles. It is now possible to enrich certain compounds, which react positively to the colour test, and to purify them for further chemical characterization.