Comparative toxicity studies on bromochloroacetate, dibromoacetate, and bromodichloroacetate in J774A.1 macrophages: Roles of superoxide anion and protein carbonyl compounds.

The brominated and mixed bromo-chloro-haloacetates, such as dibromoacetate (DBA), bromochloroacetate (BCA), and bromodichloroacetate (BDCA), are by-products of water chlorination and are found at lower levels than the fully chlorinated acetates in the drinking water. The toxicities of the compounds were assessed in J774A.1 cells and were found to induce concentration-dependent increases in cell death and superoxide anion and protein carbonyl compounds production. Compared to the previously tested concentrations of dichoroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) in the same cell line, the tested haloacetates induced similar effects on cellular viability and superoxide anion production but at DBA and BCA concentrations that were approximately 40-160 times lower than those of DCA and TCA, and at BDCA concentrations that were 4-16 times lower than those of DCA and TCA. Also, production of super oxide anion, protein carbonyl compounds, and induction of phagocytic activation are suggested to play a role in their toxicity.