Mathematical modeling of the effects of environmental contaminants, observed individually and in mixtures: application to the assessment of mutagenic potential of environmental contaminants using the assay Salmonella/microssome

Abstract

Chemical mutagens are generally present in the environment as complex mixtures. These can originate mutations in germ cells and somatic cells leading to various side effects. The analysis of known mutagenic compounds is not sufficient to identify all mutagenic compounds present in environmental samples nor the types of interactions that can be established between them. The proposed project seeks to complement the "Diagnostic strains of the Salmonella/microsome assay as a potential tool in Effect Directed Analysis - application to the solution-oriented project" project, funded by FAPESP, which aims to use specific strains of Salmonella as diagnostic tools to help identify the major mutagenic toxicants present in the aquatic environment. This project will contribute to the development of solutions to complex environmental problems through the integration of test results for the Salmonella/microsome assay (Ames test) using mechanistic models to describe the behavior of chemical compounds alone and in combination. These models are useful as predictive tools and they are valuable for understanding the biological mechanisms underlying the observed effects. The models also have potential to be used within the risk assessment of environmental contaminants. The additional proposed activities, by engaging the Brazilian participants in the project, provide a great opportunity for all persons involved, by allowing sharing of knowledge and experiences, maximizing the impact of information generated by the original project and the transfer of "know how" between researchers from the two institutions involved. (AU)