Genotoxicity is known as the damage caused by environmental stressors (biological, chemical and physical) on the genetic material of an organism. This toxicological effect can be assessed by a lot of biological assays and especially by bacterial tests. These tests are frequently performed on environmental samples or on pures substances and are in that case, strongly correlated to the carcinogenic effect obtained on mammals. A leachate procedure (EN 1250-2) was applied to treated wood (Pinus sylvestris, EN 113 type) in order to simulate and predict the loss of active ingredients through percolation or lixiviation processes. The genotoxicity of the leachates was evaluated with a bacterial mutagenecity test performed on Vibrio fisheri dark mutant and consisted in measuring the light emission of the revertant organisms. Three types of formulations were used for the wood impregnation: a Copper Chromium Arsenic (CCA) water based formulation, an organic and a creosote type formulation. Genotoxicity of the leachates is presented and a correlation between the presence of direct or indirect mutagenic compounds in water and the biological response is then approached.

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