The application of these studies to energy technologies includes toxicologic assay of effluents from oil shale retorting and in situ coal conversion, radiation effects of tritium, testing of workers in the petrochemical industry, toxicology of methanol, and a variety of analyses of specific chemical and physical agents. Significant accomplishments in FY 1979 and their projection to FY 1982 include: @ fhrough a consortium of research projects a battery of bacterial, mammalian cellular, and whole animal bioassays for genetic toxicity is being applied to effluents from in situ coal Neutral and basic organic gasification and oil shale retorting. constituents are moderately mutagenic in bacteria, but in preliminary experiments appear much less toxic in higher organisms. These studies will help to ensure the safe development of advanced fossil energy technologies. ® A cellular specific-locus method for measuring somatic mutation frequencies in humans is progressing rapidly. Fluorescent antibodies are used to label rare red blood cells containing de novo abnormalities of hemoglobin, such as sickle hemoglobin. The test is potentially a biological dosimeter for a variety of highly specific genetic lesions. It may determine the risk of cancer individuals, the damage incurred by an accidental, occupational or environmental exposure, and the presence of genetic susceptibility to mutagenesis. @ A set of mutant Chinese hamster cell lines that are unusually sensitive to taxic and mutagenic effects has been developed. Each mutant is specifically sensitive to a class of mutagens and appears to be defective in a particular mechanism of DNA repair. The battery of mutants offers the possibility of rapid and inexpensive mammalian screening for mutagens and of defining and currently unknown steps in DNA repair in mammals. @ Certain chemicals act like radiation in killing female germ cells in mice. By giving the chemicals and radiation both together and separately, we found their effects are additive, which suggests they may damage the ovary in the same way. This finding advances our understanding of how environmental toxic chemicals may effect us. The DNA content of sperm from mice exposed to x-rays or the mutagenic chemical, methyl methanesulfonate, has been measured in a flow cytometer equipped with a specially designed sample chamber in which hydrodynamic forces accurately orient the flat sperm heads and eliminate orientation artefact. A positive correlation between dose and variability in individual sperm DNA content was shown, and also a highly significant correlation between percent of . 5010105