Using the Ames test to find carcinogens safely

[Michael W]

I have recently read about several young soccer players who have developed cancer. It is believed that they may have gotten it from the rubber "crumbs" used in artificial turf fields. I would like to test the rubber to see if it contains any carcinogens. I have read about the Ames test, however it utilizes bsl-2 bacteria which may be difficult to use safely for a 9th grade student. If you have any advice on using the Ames test that would be great. Otherwise I would appreciate if you could tell me how to use other tests. I would like to test the rubber itself, as well as whether or not the rubber releases carcinogens when it is heated. If you have any ideas about how I could go about doing this project that would be great. By the way, if I use bacteria or animals I need to file paperwork this week, but the project itself doesn't need to be done until February.
Thanks,
Michael 9th Grade

[deleted-224136]

This is a really cool idea! It's definitely a hot topic in the media, and any kids that sat around as a kid playing with those rubber pieces (myself included) will especially find the research intriguing. I looked around for labs/protocols that did not use salmonella in their protocols and there really weren't that many. A couple places used E. Coli and a different selection anti biotic, but they used it in concurrence with salmonella. From what I got from those protocols was that it was just another control. I found another lab that used yeast (sacharomyces cerevisae) in the Ames test. I think that this would work as well.
Here's the link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2104512/


I hope this helps. Both e. coli and yeast are bsl-1.

Anna

[Michael W]

Thank you so much Anna, this really makes it a lot easier and safer to do my project. I looked in my kitchen cabinet and believe that I do have this same strain of yeast.

[deleted-270584]

Hi,

Wondering if there is an update about this project. My son is interested in doing something similar, but he is only in 6th grade and doesn't have access to sophisticated lab materials. Is there a simpler way for him to explore whether turf lawns in our neighborhood are potentially carcinogenic?

Julie

[deleted-291782]

Hi Julie, and thank you for you question. I think that this is definitely an interesting project to pursue, but there are some limitations to consider.

The Ames test is a quick way to be able to determine whether or not a compound may or may not be carcinogenic. Anna's response is consistent with what I have also found in that using strains of Salmonella are the primary cultures to use when performing this test. Other groups have altered this test to be able to utilize S. cerevisiae as well, which would be safer. However, the limitation is that you need access to special strains of yeast that are deficient in the production of isoleucine and tryptophan. The article in the link Anna provided states that these can be bought through the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), but I am pretty sure you need to be a part of an institution to be able to order anything through this organization. The best way to be able to perform these experiments would be in a Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) lab where you will be testing potential carcinogenic agents. If you do not have any laboratory access, I don't think that it would be safe to perform such tests at home.

Let me know if you have further questions and I'll be happy to help where I can.