Radiosensitization of Drosophila Sperm by Commonly Used Food Additives–Butylated Hydroxyanisole and Butylated Hydroxytoluene

Summary

The radiosensitivity of sperm of Drosophila melanogaster was enhanced by a factor of about two by commonly-used food additives. Neither butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) nor butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), with and without gamma-irradiation (0, 1·2, 2·4 and 3·6 krads), had any noticeable effect on the sex-ratio. At the concentration used (0·001 per cent BHA; 0·001 per cent BHT), the two phenolic antioxidants seem to induce X^B-chromosome loss in the sperm (XO males in F₁) and sex-linked recessive lethal mutations in F₂, although these effects were not statistically significant. However, both agents proved to be potent radiosensitizers for the sex-linked recessive lethals.