The use of HPTLC/modified ames assay to screen marine sediments for bio-active compounds

Here we present data on a screening procedure for separation and identification of chemical classes in sediments simultaneously with a determination of the potential for each chemical class to cause biological effects. We use sequential extraction of sediments in solvents of differing polarity followed by separation using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and chemical identification procedures. The biological activity of each chemical class is assayed on TLC plates by a modified Ames Salmonella assay; toxicity and mutagenicity of each compound class are determined from the on-plate Ames assay. The screening method is semi-quantitative; however, it offers the following advantages: 1) sample processing is rapid; 2) compound classes with biological activity are effectively identified; and 3) analytical resources of time and money are conserved for those compound classes requiring additional analysis.