Cent Eur J Public Health 2002, 10(3):124-109

Bacterial Urinary Mutagenicity Test for Monitoring of Exposure to Genotoxic Compounds: A Review

Černá M., Pastorková A.

National Institute of Public Health, Centre ofEnvironmental Health, Prague, Czech Republic

Testing human urine formutagenic activity towards bacteria has proven to be a useful means for identifyinggenotoxic exposure. The review documents the utilization of the urinary mutagenicity testusing Salmonella typhimurium indicator strains (Ames test) to monitor populationsoccupationally or environmentally exposed to genotoxic compounds. Confounding factors,mainly smoking and diet, have to be taken into consideration when interpreting the urinarymutagenicity results. Some methodological improvements in the past few years haveincreased the sensitivity of the urinary mutagenicity test also for identifyingenvironmental exposure to genotoxins. The test appears to be a valid approach forbiological monitoring in the field of preventive medicine.

Keywords: urinary mutagenicity,Salmonella, microsome mutagenicity assay; biomarker of exposure to genotoxins

Published: September 1, 2002  Show citation