Assessment of the potential in vivo genotoxicity of fluoranthene

Fluoranthene is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant. Although fluoranthene is mutagenic in bacterial and mammalian in vitro cell systems following metabolic activation by rat liver fraction, information on in vivo mutagenicity is lacking and studies on tumour initiating activity in mice are equivocal. In the present study, the potential genetic hazard to man was assessed using the mouse bone marrow micronucleus and rat liver unscheduled DNA synthesis test systems. Fluoranthene did not show any evidence of genotoxicity in either of the in vivo assays following acute oral administration at levels of up to 2000 mg/kg b.w.