Abstract: Objective To evaluate the mutation risk of phenolic compounds using toxicity prediction software and bacterial reverse mutation test (Ames test). Methods The mutagenic risk of a series of phenolic compounds was predicted by toxicity software, and the six-well plate Ames test was performed at different doses, and with or without S9 metabolism, to determine the effects of different substituents on the benzene ring of these compounds on their mutagenicities. Results It was predicted by software that these compounds were all mutagenic based on the presence of hydroxybenzene rings. Under non-S9 metabolic activation, p-chlorophenylacetamide led to an increase in the number of the revertants of TA98, while p-nitrochlorobenzene increased the number of the revertants of TA100 and TA102. Under the metabolic activation of S9, p-nitrochlorobenzene led to an increase in the number of the revertants of TA100 and TA1535, and the increase was far more significant than that without metabolic activation, so there was a concentration effect correlation. Conclusion There are bacterial mutagenicities of p-chlorophenylacetamide and p-nitrochlorobenzene, and the mutagenicity of p-nitrochlorobenzene increases after metabolic activation. It is of great value to carry out related research to evaluate its toxicity risk for rational regulation of such compounds.

Key words: phenol, N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, gene mutation, genotoxicity, structure-activity prediction, six-well plate Ames test