PRODUCTION OF MUTAGENIC COMPOUNDS AS A RESULT OF ATMOSPHERIC PHOTOCHEMISTRY.

Over the past several years, there has been increased interest in assessing the extent to which photochemical reactions may have an impact on the presence of mutagenic species in urban air. Much of the work conducted in this area has focused on reactions on the surface of particulate matter, with considerable attention given to polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). It has been shown that reactions of O//3, NO//2, and NO//3 with particulate matter (e. g. from wood smoke) can result in the production of mutagenic nitrated PAH. We have developed a procedure in which the mutagenic activity of gas phase photochemical reaction mixtures is determined with use of a flow-mode smog chamber.