In vivo cytogenetic effects of oil shale retort process waters

The induction of cytogenetic effects by oil shale retort process waters from 3 types of pilot plant retorts were examined in murine bone marrow. Each of the process waters induced increased frequencies of structural aberrations in mice treated with 3 daily intraperitoneal injections of the waters. The same treatment had no effect on the frequency of sister chromatid exchanges. Mice given a 1% solution of an above-ground retort water ad libitum for 8 weeks consumed about 1 ml/kg per day of the process water and had a frequency of aberrations comparable to mice given the same dose intraperitoneally for 3 days. Transplacental exposure of C3H mouse embryos indicated that clastogenic compounds in the above-ground retort process water can cross the placenta and induce chromosomal aberrations in embryonic tissues.