Enzyme-mediated mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium of contaminants of synthetic indigo products

The mutagenic potential of two natural and seven synthetic, commercial indigo dye products was investigated. The natural products showed no mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium stains TA98 and TA100. In the presence of rat-liver homogenate from Aroclor 1254 pretreated rats all of the synthetic products were mutagenic towards strain TA98 but not towards strain TA100. The mutagenic effect produced was highly dependent on the amount of rat-liver homogenate added. Because of its high mutagenic potential, one product was further investigated. In the presence of rat-liver homogenate this product was weakly mutagenic towards strain TA1537 and strongly mutagenic towards strain TA1538. No mutagenicity was observed in strain TA1535. Experiments with purified synthetic indigo and natural indigo revealed that the mutagenic activity of the synthetic commercial products can be ascribed to one or more contaminants.