Effects of dichlorobenzene, toluene, benzene and formaldehyde chemicals on Drosophila melanogaster mortality.

Environmental exposures to volatile organic compound (VOC) mixtures have received increasing attention, yet the risks are under studied. This study aimed to explore the risks of combined exposures to several commonly detected VOCs and to draw attention to the necessity of studying long-term and low-concentration environmental exposure patterns. In this study, we examined the effects of long-term and low-concentration exposures to VOCs like 1,2-dichlorobenzene, benzene, toluene and formaldehyde either alone or in combination on D. melanogaster mortality. A quantitative relationship was established between 1,2-dichlorobenzene concentration and mortality. Additionally, 1,2-dichlorobenzene was more toxic than toluene, and males were more sensitive to 1,2-dichlorobenzene. In cocktail, 1,2-dichlorobenzene + benzene, 1,2-dichlorobenzene acted as an antagonist and interaction type may depend on component concentration. Antagonistic interaction was also found in twice mixture of toluene + benzene + formaldehyde and the degree of antagonism decreased with increasing concentrations of formaldehyde + benzene. The observed interactions and variations in their type or degree relative to mixture component concentrations may be attributed to inter-component metabolic interference and metabolic saturation.