Mutagenicity of industrial compounds: Styrene and its possible metabolite styrene oxide

Potential carcinogenic and mutagenic industrial chemicals. I. Alkylating agents

“…It was suggested that when styrene is tested together with a rat liver microsomal fraction, the concentration of styrene oxide may be too low to be detected as mutagenic. Negative results were reported in the Salmonellal microsomes test by Stoltz and Withey (1977) and in a forward-mutation assay with yeast by Loprieno et al (1976), both in the presence of a liver microsomal fraction. Using the forward-mutation assay with yeast, Loprienzo et al (1976) found no effect in the host-mediated assay or in a test of styrene on Chinese hamster cells in the absence of a metabolic activation system.…”

“…In the concentration range 1-10 jumol per plate, it was mutagenic in TA1535 and TA100 in the absence or presence of a rat liver microsomal system (Busk, 1979). It produced forward mutations in Saccharomyces pombe, mitotic gene conversions in strain D4 of S. cerevisiae, and azaguanine-resistant mutants in V79 hamster cells (Loprieno et al, 1976). Styrene oxide is a potent inducer of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in Chinese hamster ovary cells, in contrast to styrene, which did not increase the number of SCE per metaphase even in the presence of a metabolic activation system.…”

Microbial production of the aromatic building‐blocks (S)‐styrene oxide and (R)‐1,2‐phenylethanediol from renewable resources

“…( S )‐Styrene oxide and ( R )‐1,2‐phenylethanediol (also referred to as ( R )‐styrene glycol) are chiral aromatic molecules used in the synthesis of numerous high value pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. For example, ( S )‐styrene oxide is used as a precursor to the biocides levamisole and nematocide [1], as well as in the synthesis of cosmetics [2], surface coatings, and numerous agricultural and biological chemicals [3, 4]. Meanwhile, ( R )‐1,2‐phenylethanediol is an optically active diol and precursor to the pharmaceuticals ( R )‐norfluoxetine and ( R )‐fluoxetine (used to treat psychiatric and metabolic disorders), as well as β ‐lactam antibiotics [5, 6].…”

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-81-052-896, Marble Products of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee.

“…There is a growing concern that styrene may be car~inogenicl6, 7,8,9). NIOSH is preparing a styrene criteria document(SJ.…”