Genotoxicity of benzene and its metabolites.

The potential role of genotoxicity in human leukemias associated with benzene (BZ) exposures was investigated by a systematic review of over 1400 genotoxicity test results for BZ and its metabolites. Studies of rodents exposed to radiolabeled BZ found a low level of radiolabel in isolated DNA with no preferential binding in target tissues of neoplasia. Adducts were not identified by 32P-postlabeling (equivalent to a covalent binding index <0.