DNA repair and replication influence the number of mutations per adduct of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mammalian cells

► Differences in repair efficiency of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons could not be related to bay or fjord region structures. ► DBPDE was found to be the most reactive of the four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon diolepoxides tested here. ► Regarding DNA repair and mutagenicity, DNA adducts of DBPDE behave differently than adducts derived from the other tested PAH-DE.