ABSTRACT
Infestation of flour and other stored products by the tenebrionid (flour beetles) has been proven a health hazard to the public. Secretions from these insects have been found to be harmful toxicologically. These secretions also possess characteristics typical of mutagens. Therefore the mutagenic potential of 2-methyl-1, 4-benzoquinone (MBQ), 2-ethyl-1, 4 benzoquinone (EBQ) and 1-pentadecene (P-dec) was assessed by using the Ames Salmonella/Mammalian Microsome Mutagenicity Assay, a screening test for detection of mutagens. Tester strains TA 98, TA 100, TA 1535, TA 1537, and TA 1538 were exposed to doses of 10-1 mg/plate to 3.2 × 10-5 mg of MBQ/plate, 10-2 mg/plate to 3.2 × 10-6 mg of EBQ/plate and 1 mg/plate to 3.2 × 10-4 mg of P-dec/plate. No evidence of mutagenic potential was observed at the levels tested.
