Evaluation of the genotoxic potential of alkylalkanolamines.

Three alkylalkanolamines, N,N-dimethylethanolamine, N-methyldiethanolamine, and tert-butyldiethanolamine, were evaluated for potential genotoxic activity using the Salmonella/microsome reverse gene mutation test, the CHO/HGPRT forward gene mutation test, a sister chromatid exchange test in cultured CHO cells, and an in vivo peripheral blood micronucleus test in Swiss-Webster mice. None of the three alkylalkanolamines produced any significant or dose-related increases in the frequencies of mutations, sister chromatid exchanges or micronuclei. These results indicate that N,N-dimethylethanolamine, N-methyldiethanolamine, and tert-butyldiethanolamine are not genotoxic in the tests conducted.