Genotoxicity assessment of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX)

Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine, a polynitramine compound, commonly known as RDX, has been used as an explosive in military munitions formulations since World War II. There is considerable data available regarding the toxicity and carcinogenicity of RDX. It has been classified as a possible carcinogen (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Integrated Risk Information System, 2005, www.epa.gov/IRIS/subst/0313.htm). In order to better understand its gentoxic potential, the authors conducted the in vitro mouse lymphoma forward mutation and the in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus assays. Pure RDX (99.99%) at concentrations ranging from 3.93 to 500 mu g/ml showed no cytotoxicity and no mutagenicity in forward mutations at the thymidine kinase (TK) locus in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells, with and without metabolic activation. This finding was also confirmed by repeat assays under identical conditions. In addition, RDX did not induce micronuclei in mouse bone marrow cells when tested to the maximum tolerated dose of 250 mg/kg in male mice. These results show that RDX was not mutagenic in these in vitro and in vivo mammalian systems.