The genotoxic effects of complex mixtures extracted from semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) exposed for 8 weeks during spring, summer, autumn and winter seasons of 2002–2003 in four districts of the Vilnius city (Žirmūnai, Žvėrynas, Senamiestis and Lazdynai) were analyzed. The extracts were assayed for their ability to induce chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in human blood lymphocytes in vitro and somatic mutations and recombination in Drosophila melanogaster wing cells in vivo. The test samples did not increase the incidence of chromosome aberrations. However, a significant increase of SCEs was determined in lymphocyte cultures treated with extracts sampled in Žirmūnai during all four seasons and in Žvėrynas during spring and winter seasons. Results of the somatic mutation and recombination test showed that only extracts sampled in Žirmūnai were genotoxic and significantly increased the incidence of somatic mutations. Our results confirm the findings of other authors that SPMDs provide a useful tool to obtain sufficient quantities of airborne hydrophobic pollutants for toxicity and genotoxicity tests, so they can be used for practical air monitoring purposes.

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