Cytotoxicity of Metanilic Acid and its Degradation Products

Moraxella osloensis, a bacterium with dye degrading ability was screened for its ability to degrade metanilic acid, an intermediate in the synthesis and a biodegradation product of azo dyes. The organism was capable of removing 72% of 20 mg l-1 of metanilic acid. Cytotoxicity studies using HCT15, Hep2 and 3T3 cell lines clearly indicated the toxicity of the metanilic acid. The culture filtrate containing the degradation product of metanilic acid after degradation by Moraxella osloensis was found to be comparatively less toxic indicating that the metanilic acid has undergone structural and chemical changes during biodegradtion. The cancer cell lines were found to be more resistant to metanilic acid and their degradation products than their normal counterparts.