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Science 19 May 1978:
Vol. 200. no. 4343, pp. 785 - 787
DOI: 10.1126/science.347576
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Articles

Science, Vol 200, Issue 4343, 785-787
Copyright © 1978 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Another flame retardant, tris-(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)-phosphate, and its expected metabolites are mutagens

MD Gold, A Blum, and BN Ames

A flame retardant used in children's sleepwear, tris-(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (Fyrol FR2) is a mutagen in the Salmonella-mammalian tissue homogenate test after it has been activated by mouse or rat liver homogenate. The expected enzymatic hydrolysis product, 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol, is similarly a mutagen after activation by liver homogenate. A proposed metabolite of the flame retardant, 1,3-dichloro-2-propanone, is a potent mutagen in the absence of such activation. A flame retardant with similar structure, tris-(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate (tris-BP), was shown previously to be a mutagen, to cause sterility in animals, to be a carcinogen, and to be absorbed through human skin. These and other flame retardants have characteristic nuclear magnetic resonance spectra that can be used to determine which flame retardant is present in commercially purchased sleepwear. Sleepwear treated with tris-BP, Fyrol FR2, and other chemical additives was being sold in late 1977.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Tris(dichloropropyl)phosphate, a mutagenic flame retardant: frequent cocurrence in human seminal plasma.
T Hudec, J Thean, D Kuehl, and R. Dougherty (1981)
Science 211, 951-952
   Abstract »    PDF »
Children absorb tris-BP flame retardant from sleepwear: urine contains the mutagenic metabolite, 2,3-dibromopropanol.
A Blum, M. Gold, B. Ames, F. Jones, E. Hett, R. Dougherty, E. Horning, I Dzidic, D. Carroll, R. Stillwell, et al. (1978)
Science 201, 1020-1023
   Abstract »    PDF »


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