Which example is a chemical mutagen?

Which example is a chemical mutagen?

• A. Benzene
• B. Ultraviolet light
• C. Gamma rays
• D. X-rays

Answer: (A)

Mutagens are agents that cause genetic mutations, and they come in chemical and physical forms. A chemical mutagen works by interacting with DNA or its building blocks to create errors during replication, often through forming DNA adducts or promoting mispairing. Benzene fits this role because, once metabolized in the body, it forms reactive intermediates that can bind to DNA and induce mutations. The other options are physical mutagens: ultraviolet light damages DNA by creating pyrimidine dimers, and gamma rays and X-rays are ionizing radiations that cause breaks in DNA. So benzene is the example that best illustrates a chemical mutagen.

Mutagens are agents that cause genetic mutations, and they come in chemical and physical forms. A chemical mutagen works by interacting with DNA or its building blocks to create errors during replication, often through forming DNA adducts or promoting mispairing. Benzene fits this role because, once metabolized in the body, it forms reactive intermediates that can bind to DNA and induce mutations. The other options are physical mutagens: ultraviolet light damages DNA by creating pyrimidine dimers, and gamma rays and X-rays are ionizing radiations that cause breaks in DNA. So benzene is the example that best illustrates a chemical mutagen.