The Ames Salmonella/microsomal activation mutagenesis assay has been modified to improve sensitivity and reproducibility to complex mixtures derived from the refining and processing of petroleum. Oil samples were dissolved in cyclohexane and subsequently extracted with dimethyl sulfoxide to produce aqueous compatible solutions which readily interact with tester bacteria. Also, the liver homogenate (S-9) and NADP cofactor concentrations were increased and hamster rather than rat liver S-9 was used. The initial slope of the dose response curve relating mutagenicity (revertants per plate) to the dose of extract added was used as an index of mutagenic activity; this slope was obtained through a computerized curve fitting procedure. The modified assay was used to rank 18 oil samples for mutagenic activity; this ranking correlates highly (r = 0.92) with potency rankings of the same samples previously determined from dermal carcinogenicity bioassays. Sensitivity and reproducibility of the assay are sufficient to permit routine use for detecting potential carcinogenic activity of individual refinery streams and blends which contain components boiling above 500 degrees F.

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Petroleum base oils (petroleum mineral oils) are manufactured from crude oils by vacuum distillation to produce several distillates and a residual oil that are then further refined. Aromatics including alkylated polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC) are undesirable constituents of base oils because they are deleterious to product performance and are potentially carcinogenic. In modern base oil refining, aromatics are reduced by solvent extraction, catalytic hydrotreating, or hydrocracking. Chronic exposure to poorly refined base oils has the potential to cause skin cancer. A chronic mouse dermal bioassay has been the standard test for estimating carcinogenic potential of mineral oils. The level of alkylated 3-7-ring PAC in raw streams from the vacuum tower must be greatly reduced to render the base oil noncarcinogenic. The processes that can reduce PAC levels are known, but the operating conditions for the processing units (e.g., temperature, pressure, catalyst type, residence time in the unit, unit engineering design, etc.) needed to achieve adequate PAC reduction are refinery specific. Chronic dermal bioassays provide information about whether conditions applied can make a noncarcinogenic oil, but cannot be used to monitor current production for quality control or for conducting research or developing new processes since this test takes at least 78 weeks to conduct. Three short-term, non-animal assays all involving extraction of oil with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) have been validated for predicting potential carcinogenic activity of petroleum base oils: a modified Ames assay of a DMSO extract, a gravimetric assay (IP 346) for wt. percent of oil extracted into DMSO, and a GC-FID assay measuring 3-7-ring PAC content in a DMSO extract of oil, expressed as percent of the oil. Extraction with DMSO concentrates PAC in a manner that mimics the extraction method used in the solvent refining of noncarcinogenic oils. The three assays are described, data demonstrating the validation of the assays are shown, and test results of currently manufactured base oils are summarized to illustrate the general lack of cancer hazard for the base oils now being manufactured.

The Ames Salmonella/microsomal activation mutagenesis assay has been adapted to improve sensitivity to complex hydrocarbon mixtures produced by the refining of petroleum. Extraction of oil samples with dimethyl sulfoxide produces aqueous-compatible solutions that more easily interact with the tester bacteria. These extracts, therefore, produce higher revertant values than do equivalent volumes of oil delivered neat or dissolved in organic solvent. Parallel increases in the liver microsomal S-9 concentration further improve the sensitivity of the assay, allowing detection of mutagenicity in otherwise inactive samples. The effect of increased microsomal fraction from rodent liver is apparently attributable to the higher levels of activating enzymes rather than to the concomitant increase in the overall hydrophobicity of the test system. The modified assay has been used to rank thirteen petroleum-derived oils and a corn oil control for relative mutagenic activity. This ranking closely correlates (r = 0.97) with potency rankings of the same samples previously determined from dermal carcinogenicity bioassays.

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The alkylbenzenes, toluene being the most common example, represent a class of six-membered ring aromatic compounds that have a variety of alkyl groups attached. These chemicals are liquids with relatively low boiling points and are used primarily as solvents or as starting materials in the synthesis of other chemicals and drugs. They are also integral components of gasoline, distillate fuels and other petroleum products. These substituted aromatics are economically important in the chemical, petroleum, pharmaceutical, polymer, paint and dye industries. Alkylbenzenes such as toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene and cumene are toxicologically important since they are produced, used or disposed of in the largest quantities and therefore might pose significant and potential health risks to man and the environment. In general, the toxicity of alkylbenzenes has been found to be relatively low. Also, for the most part, human and environmental risks are low; however, there may be a few operations where the potential for high exposure could exist. These exposures are minimized by workplace controls or personal protective equipment. Furthermore, health risks for humans are minimized by guidelines for maximum allowable exposure concentrations which have been established for the workplace. This present paper reviews the toxicology and disposition of toluene in animals and humans.

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ABSTRACT:White oils or waxes [mineral hydrocarbons (MHCs)] with substantial levels of saturated hydrocarbons in the range of C18 to C32 have produced hepatic microgranulomas and lymph node microgranulomas (also referred to as histiocytosis) after repeated administration to female Fischer-344 (F-344) rats.