Water and sediment samples were taken from sites adjacent to hazardous waste disposal areas in Niagara Falls, New York. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry. The following compounds were identified: chlorobenzenes, chlnrotoluenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon derivatives, cyclohexane derivatives, polychlorinated biphenyls, trichlorophenol and other phenols, benzotrifluorides, mirex and phenothiazine. A large number of benzyl derivatives and unusual fluorinated compounds were also found; they were probably waste by-products of industrial chemical production. The hazardous waste disposal sites were probably the major sources for most of the compounds.

Embryos of the grasshopper Chortophaga viridifasciata were exposed in vitro to formaldehyde (FA), as formalin, at concentrations ranging from 10(-8)M (0.0003 ppm) to 10(-3) M (30 ppm) at 38 degrees C. A low frequency of distinct acentric chromosome fragments (0.02-0.04/cell) was observed in the neuroblasts after 1 hr exposure to 7.5 X 10(-4) or 10(-3) M FA plus 3 hr recovery, but not at lower concentrations, even with 4 hr exposure. There was no obvious relation between distinct fragment frequency and concentration of FA. Neuroblasts with sticky chromosomes were observed at 10(-4), 7.5 X 10(-4), and 10(-3) M FA, the percent of cells with slight, moderate, or severe stickiness varying with FA concentrations. Fragments were associated with the sticky chromosomes. The frequency of these sticky fragments at the two higher concentrations (0.15-0.30/cell) was greater than the frequency of distinct fragments. It is concluded that the distinct acentric fragments induced by FA result from breakage at a single sticky point (slight stickiness) between separating sister chromatids. The chromosome effects observed probably result from the action of daughter products that are formed by the interaction of FA with culture medium components, especially the fetal calf serum.

No abstract

Water and sediment samples were taken from sites adjacent to hazardous waste disposal areas in Niagara Falls, New York. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatographic mass spectrometry. The following compounds were identified: chlorobenzenes, chlorotoluenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon derivatives, cyclohexane derivatives, polychlorinated biphenyls, trichlorophenol and other phenols, benzotrifluorides, mirex and phenothiazine. A large number of benzyl derivatives and unusual fluorinated compounds were also found; they were probably waste by-products of industrial chemical production. The hazardous waste disposal sites were probably the major sources for most of the compounds.

No abstract