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Subcellular localization of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and related compounds has been examined only in the liver. The objective of this study was (1) to examine and compare the subcellular distribution of TCDD within hepatic and nonhepatic (lungs/kidneys) tissues of female Sprague–Dawley rats acutely exposed to TCDD, (2) to analyze species comparisons in the subcellular localization of TCDD in multiple tissues, (3) to investigate the effect of dose on subcellular distribution of TCDD, (4) to analyze the effect of subchronic exposure on the subcellular distribution of TCDD, and (5) to examine one possible mechanism for subcellular localization of TCDD. Female Sprague–Dawley rats and B6C3F1 mice received a single oral dose of 0.1, 1.0, or 10 μg [3H]TCDD/kg body weight and subcellular fractions of the liver, lungs, and kidneys were prepared by differential centrifugation 3 days after exposure. Analysis of the rat subcellular fractions revealed that TCDD was equally distributed between the hepatic P9 (mitochondrial, lysosomal, and nuclear) and S9 (cytosol and microsomal) fractions at all doses tested. In contrast, TCDD was concentrated in the P9 of rat nonhepatic tissues at all doses studied. Differential centrifugation of the hepatic S9 showed that TCDD was localized within the hepatic P100 (microsomal) fraction at all doses tested. In contrast, TCDD localized in pulmonary and renal S100 (cytosolic) fractions at all doses. The subcellular distribution of TCDD in the liver and lungs of acutely exposed B6C3F1 mice was similar to that observed in the rats. Although TCDD was concentrated within the renal P9, the remainder of TCDD in the S9 was evenly distributed between the S100 and the P100 fractions of acutely exposed B6C3F1 mice. Subchronic exposure of B6C3F1 mice to 1.5 or 150 ng [3H]TCDD/kg/day revealed that increasing dose resulted in equal distribution of TCDD between the hepatic S9 and P9 versus concentration in the renal P9. In addition, a dose-dependent increase in accumulation of TCDD in the hepatic P100 was accompanied by a dose-dependent increase in TCDD localization in the renal S100 of mice subchronically exposed to TCDD. TCDD exposure in rats resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the induction of CYP1A1 protein and associated enzyme activity in hepatic, pulmonary, and renal microsomes. TCDD-induced CYP1A2 protein levels and associated enzymatic activity were only present in hepatic microsomes. This is the first report to suggest that subcellular distribution of TCDD differs between hepatic and nonhepatic tissues and demonstrate that the liver-specific microsomal localization of TCDD in female Sprague–Dawley rats also occurs in the liver of female B6C3F1 mice acutely or subchronically exposed to TCDD. In addition, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that the hepatic sequestration of TCDD is due to an interaction with CYP1A2. Furthermore, the lack of pulmonary/renal sequestration coupled with the lack of localization of TCDD in pulmonary/renal microsomes also supports the role of CYP1A2 as a hepatic microsomal binding protein involved in TCDD sequestration..

The distribution of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153) was studied in female B6C3F1 mice. Single doses of TCDD alone (0, 0.1, 1, or 10 micrograms [3H]TCDD/kg), PCB 153 alone (0, 3.58, 35.8, or 358 mg [14C]PCB 153/kg), and all possible combinations of these doses were administered in corn oil, po. At 7 days after dosing, 11 different tissues were analyzed for radioactivity. When TCDD was administered alone, TCDD-derived radioactivity distributed to all tissues in a dose-dependent manner, increasing with dose in the liver, while decreasing (as a percentage of the administered dose) in all other tissues. When PCB 153 was administered alone, the PCB 153 concentration was dose-dependently (percentage of dose) decreased in liver, skin, lung, adrenals, kidney, and blood; no dosimetric effects were observed in the other organs. Coadministration of low doses of both TCDD and PCB 153 resulted in little or no effect on the distribution of either compound. Interactive effects occurred in the pharmacokinetic behavior of both compounds only at higher doses. For example, the amount of TCDD in the liver was increased by 358 mg PCB 153/kg. In most other organs administration of PCB 153 resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in the TCDD content. Coadministration of PCB 153 with 10 micrograms TCDD/kg increased PCB 153 in the liver, but not in other tissues. These results clearly demonstrate that interactive effects on pharmacokinetic behavior occur only at high doses.

Water Chlorination: Essential Process or Cancer Hazard? Bull, R. J., Birnbaum L. S., Cantor, K., Rose, J. B., Butterworth, B. E., Pegram, R., and Tuomisto, J. (1995). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 28, 155-166. Chlorine has been successfully used for the control of waterborne infectious disease for nearly a century. In the 1970s it was found that chlorine reacted with natural organic matter present in surface waters to produce disinfection by-products (DBP). Concern focused initially on the trihalomethanes (THM), but a wide variety of DBPs are now known to result from chlorination. Chlorination of drinking water has been one of the most effective public health measures ever undertaken. There are a number of alternatives to chlorination that are in active use in many parts of the world, but the risks associated with their by-products are even less well established than for chlorination. Moreover, the use of these alternatives vary in their effectiveness and some require greater sophistication in their application. This can mean less protection to public health as a result of inappropriate application and control. Therefore, hazards associated with the use of such a clearly beneficial process as chlorination must be carefully considered not only in an absolute sense, but also in the context of alternative approaches for producing a safe drinking water. The key question is whether the hazards associated with by-products have been sufficiently well established to warrant regulations that will undoubtedly have both positive and negative impacts on the public health. This symposium examined the toxicological and epidemiological data on chemical hazards associated with chlorination and attempted to measure this hazard against competing microbial risks. The first presentation discussed the available analytical epidemiological studies. A second presentation dealt with the importance of chlorination to the prevention of waterborne infectious disease. Pharmacokinetic, mechanistic, and modeling information on the prototypical DBP, chloroform, were discussed and contrasted with data on brominated THMs to determine if it was scientifically appropriate to regulate THMs as a single toxicological class. The fifth presentation dealt with the carcinogenic properties of a potent mutagen that is produced by chlorination. The final presentation discussed the haloacetates, carcinogenic DBPs whose concentrations approach and occasionally exceed those of the THMs. Clearly, there is a need to carefully weigh these different types and sometimes competing risks when considering the delivery of drinking water to ever-increasing populations for which there are finite sources of fresh water.

Induction of Cytochrome P450 Isoeuzymes after Toxicokinetic Interactions between 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin anti 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-Hexachlorobiphenyl in the Liver of the Mouse. De Jongh, J., Devito, M., Nieboer, R., Birnbaum, L., and Van den Berg, M. (1995). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 25, 264-270. One group of male C57BL/6J mice received a single oral dose of 1 nmol 2,3.7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)/kg. Six other groups received single oral doses of 100, 300, or 1000 μamol 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorobipheoyl (HxCB)/kg, alone or in combination with 1 nmol/kg TCDD. Liver deposition of both compounds was studied at Day 3 after dosage. Hepatic CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 protein levels and related 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylation (EROD) and acetanilide 4-hydroxylation (ACOH) activities were also studied. A significant increase in the hepatic deposition of TCDD was observed in all three mixed dose groups but TCDD did not influence hepatic HxCB deposition. TCDD did increase both CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 protein levels. In the HxCB-treated groups, CYP1A2 levels were also increased in a dose-dependent way but CYP1A1 levels were not increased. CYP1A2 activities (ACOH), but not protein levels, in the TCDD groups cotreared with HxCB were higher than those in the group treated will TCDD alone. CYP1A1-dependent EROD activity and CYP1A2-dependent ACOH activity were induced in all treated dose groups. It is concluded that the present results do not confirm a direct role of CYP1A2 induction in the increase of hepatic TCDD levels by HxCB cotreatment in the mixed HxCB/TCDD dose groups. However, in this aspect, the discrepancy between CYP1A2 activities and protein levels remains to be explained.

Effect of Dose, Time, and Pretreatment on the Biliary Excretion and Tissue Distribution of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in the Rat. Kedderis, L. B., Andersen, M. E., and Birnbaum, L. S. (1993). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 21, 405-411. Previous studies of the effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) pretreatment on the biliary excretion and hepatic disposition indicated that TCDD did not induce its own metabolic elimination. Pretreatment with TCDD did enhance its hepatic uptake. The present work was designed to further examine the effects of dose, time, and pretreatment on the tissue distribution and biliary elimination of [3H]TCDD. Adult male F-344 rats were administered 0 or 100 nmol [14C]TCDD or [3H]TCDD/kg body weight po 3 days prior to bile duct cannulation and iv injection of 0 or 1 nmol [3H]TCDD or 1, 10, or 100 nmol [14C]TCDD/kg. Bile was collected for up to 8 hr while rats were maintained under pentobarbital anesthesia. Biliary TCDD and TCDD metabolites were quantified by liquid scintillation spectrometry. In naive animals which received no pretreatment, similar rates of excretion (% dose) were observed following iv administration of 1 nmol [3H]TCDD/kg or 10 or 100 nmol [14C]TCDD/kg. Metabolic elimination of highly purified [3H]TCDD (>99%) appeared to be linear with respect to time with ∼0.8% of the dose being excreted in the bile over a 5- to 8-hr collection period 0 or 24 hr after iv dosing (1, 10, or 100 nmol/kg) and 72 hr after oral dosing (100 nmol/kg). In all groups, higher concentrations of TCDD were found in liver versus fat, and perirenal fat concentrations were elevated relative to epididymal fat concentrations, probably reflective of the enhanced blood perfusion of the former tissue. Pretreatment enhanced hepatic concentrations and decreased fat concentrations of the challenge dose. The time dependence of factors involved in the dose-related hepatic accumulation of TCDD disposition was illustrated by the elevated liver:fat concentration ratios observed at the 100 versus 10 or 1 nmol/kg dose at 30 hr, but not by 5-6 hr after dosing. In studies designed to evaluate the role of CYP1A2 in the hepatic disposition of TCDD, pretreatment with isosafrole, a selective inhibitor of CYP1A2, diminished hepatic concentrations of [3H]TCDD. In conclusion, TCDD was metabolically cleared at a fairly constant rate over an 80-hr period, and the rate of elimination was proportional with regard to dose. Studies with isosafrole suggest that TCDD is bound to CYP1A2 in the liver.

The Effect of Pretreatment on the Biliary Excretion of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzofuran, and 3,3′,4,4′-Tetrachlorobiphenyl in the rat. McKinley, M. K., Kedderis, L. B., and Birnbaum, L. S. (1993). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 21, 425-432. The laterally halogenated chemicals 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF) and 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) exhibit the same spectrum of toxic effects as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), the prototype and most toxic member of the halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon family. Metabolism of all three compounds appears to be the rate-limiting step for excretion, which is primarily via the bile into the feces. Therefore, the biliary elimination of TCDF, TCDD, and TCB was examined as an indirect measure of metabolism. Male F344 rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital, the bile duct was cannulated, and 0.1 μmol [3H]TCDD, [14C]TCDF, or [14C]TCB/kg body wt was administered iv. Bile was collected for 0-8 hr while the animals were kept under anesthesia. To determine if TCDF was able to induce its own metabolism in vivo, a single dose of 1.0 μmol TCDF/kg was administered to rats by oral garage 3 days prior to iv injection of 0.1 or 0.3 μmol [14C]TCDF/kg. Biliary excretion and hepatic concentrations of [14C]TCDF were significantly increased in the pretreated animals. These results suggest an autoinduction of TCDF metabolism. Essentially all biliary [14C]TCDF radioactivity was attributable to metabolites. High-pressure liquid chromatography profiles of biliary radioactivity from 0 to 4 hr were qualitatively different between naive and pretreated rats. To determine if pretreatment with TCDD altered the metabolism of TCDF and vice versa, a single dose of 1.0 μmol TCDF/kg or 0.1 μmol TCDD/kg was administered by oral gavage 3 days prior to iv injection of 0.1 μmol [3H]TCDD or [14C]TCDF/kg, respectively. TCDD pretreatment increased the metabolism and hepatic concentrations of [14C]TCDF in pretreated rats, while biliary elimination and hepatic concentrations of [3H]TCDD were unaffected by pretreatment with TCDF. In a fourth experiment, the ability of TCDD to alter the metabolism of TCB, a laterally substituted polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), was examined. Pretreatment with TCDD increased the metabolism of [14C]TCB by approximately twofold, but no differences in hepatic concentrations were seen due to the rapid elimination of TCB. Rats pretreated with Aroclor 1254, a commercial mixture of PCBs, demonstrated significantly increased metabolism of [14C]TCB compared to the naive group. Therefore, under these experimental conditions, induction of TCDF metabolism occurred in the rat upon pretreatment with either TCDD or TCDF at doses which also elicited enhanced hepatic uptake. TCDD and Aroclor 1254 induced the metabolism of TCB. These findings suggest that repeated exposure to a chemical or to a mixture of these halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons can result in more rapid metabolism and elimination from the body than following a single, acute exposure.

The glycol ethers methoxyethanol (ME), ethoxyethanol (EE), and butoxyethanol (BE) are widely used in industrial and house-hold products. Rodent studies indicate the ME and EE are potentially toxic compounds causing teratogenic, fetotoxic, hematotoxic, and testicular effects. Exposure of rodents to high concentrations of BE resulted in anemia due to hemolysis of blood cells, leukopenia, hemoglobinuria, and liver and kidney damage. The purpose of this study was to determine the uptake, metabolism, and excretion of dermally administered glycol ethers as a function of the externally applied dose. Three different amounts of the 14C-labeled glycol ethers (450–4000 μmole/kg) were applied to same-sized areas on the clipped backs of F344 N rats, and nonoccluded percutaneous absorption was measured. The rates of excretion of the 14C-labeled parent compound and metabolites by different routes were measured, as well as the amount of 14C remaining in the carcass. Within the dose range studied, the absorption and metabolism of these three glycol ethers by F344 N rats was linearly related to the dermally applied dose. The absorption of all three glycol ethers was approximately 20–25%, regardless of the chain length of the alkyl group or the dose administered. The majority of the absorbed dose was excreted in the urine. Feces and exhaled CO2 represented minor routes of excretion. The alkoxyacetic acid was a major metabolite for all three glycol ethers. The formation of small amounts of ethylene glycol indicated cleavage of the ether bond. Dermally administered glycol ethers were metabolized differently than glycol ethers administered in drinking water ( M. A. Medinsky, G. Singh, W. E. Bechtold, J. A. Bond, P. J. Sabourin, L. S. Birnbaum, and R. F. Henderson, 1990 , Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 102, 443–455). In general, administration in drinking water enhanced the production of ethylene glycol and glycol ether-derived CO2.

Benzene is a myelotoxin and a human leukemogen. Humans are exposed to this compound, both occupationally and environmentally. This study was conducted to determine whether formation of benzene-derived adducts with blood hemoglobin (Hb) can be used as a biomarker of exposure to benzene. B6C3F1 mice and F344/N rats were given 0.1 to 10,000 mumol [14C]benzene/kg body wt, orally. Twenty-four hours later, animals were euthanized, and globin was isolated from blood samples. The globin was analyzed by liquid scintillation spectrometry for the presence of [14C]benzene-derived adducts. Hb adduct formation was linear with respect to dose for amounts of up to 500 mumol [14C]benzene/kg body wt, for both rodent species. Within this linear dose-response range, mice formed adducts from [14C]benzene approximately 3.5 times less efficiently [0.022 +/- 0.010 (pmol adducts/mg globin)/(mumol/kg body wt dose)] than did rats [0.076 +/- 0.014 (pmol adducts)/(mumol/kg body wt dose)]. Benzene-derived Hb adducts also accumulated linearly when mice and rats were given up to three daily doses of 500 mumol [14C]benzene/kg body wt. These data were used to develop a physiological model for benzene-derived Hb adduct formation. Both first-order and saturable pathways for adduct formation were incorporated. The results showed that the model simulated the levels of Hb adducts in both mice and rats after oral exposures to benzene and predicted the levels of Hb adducts present after inhalation exposure. These studies suggest that Hb adducts might be useful biomarkers for human exposures to benzene.

Azodicarbonamide (ADA), a compound used in the baking and plastics industries, has been reported to cause pulmonary sensitization and dermatitis in people. Two-week repeated and 13-week subchronic inhalation exposures of F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice to ADA were conducted to determine the toxicity of inhaled ADA. The mean air concentrations of ADA in the 2-week studies were 207, 102, 52, 9.4, or 2.0 mg/m3. No exposure-related mortality nor abnormal clinical signs were observed in rats or mice during or after exposure. The terminal body weights were slightly depressed in the highest exposure group. Liver weights were lower in male rats exposed to 200 mg ADA/m3. No significant lesions were noted on either gross or histologic evaluation of rats or mice. In the 13-week subchronic study, the mean air concentrations of ADA were 204, 100, or 50 mg/m3. No mortality or clinical signs related to exposure were observed. The terminal body weights of exposed rats were not significantly different from those of control rats but were significantly depressed in mice exposed to 100 or 200 mg ADA/m3. No histopathological lesions were noted in mice. Lung weights were increased and enlarged mediastinal and/or tracheobronchial lymph nodes were noted in rats exposed to 50 mg ADA/m3. No exposure-related lesions were observed microscopically in rats exposed to 100 or 200 mg ADA/m3. All rats in the 50 mg ADA/m3 exposure group only had lung lesions that consisted of perivascular cuffing with lymphocytes and a multifocal type II cell hyperplasia, suggesting a possible immune reaction to an antigen in the lung. Viral titers for rats exposed to 50 mg ADA/m3 were negative for Sendai virus and pneumonia virus of mice, which produce similar lesions. The possibility of an unknown viral antigen causing this lesion cannot be eliminated. Lung tissue from male rats was analyzed for ADA and biurea, the major metabolite of ADA. No ADA was detected. The amount of biurea in the lungs increased nonlinearly with increasing exposure concentration, suggesting that clearance was somewhat impaired with repeated exposures. However, even at the highest exposure concentration, this amount of biurea was less than 1% of the estimated total ADA deposited over the exposure period. In summary, ADA is rapidly cleared from the lungs, even when inhaled at concentrations up to 200 mg/m3. Exposure to ADA for up to 13 weeks did not appear to be toxic to rodents.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is an extremely potent teratogen in mice. Hydronephrosis and cleft palate are the most sensitive measures of teratogenicity in mice following exposure to TCDD and other structurally related polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons. Despite a relatively long half-life, investigators have identified a critical window for the induction of cleft palate in C57BL/6N mice. To characterize the critical period for renal teratogenesis, pregnant C57BL/6N mice were treated once by gavage with 0-24 micrograms TCDD/kg body wt on Gestation Day (GD) 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14. All dams were killed on GD 18, and the fetuses were examined for the presence of hydronephrosis and cleft palate. Maternal liver-to-body weight ratios were significantly elevated above controls on all days, while maternal weight gain was unaffected. Fetal mortality was increased relative to controls only at 24 micrograms TCDD/kg on GD 6. There was no significant difference in fetal body weights between control and TCDD-treated fetuses. The incidence of cleft palate increased in a dose-related fashion from GD 6 to GD 12, and identification of GD 12 as the critical window for induction of clefting of the hard palate was confirmed. Hydronephrosis was observed at all dose levels, regardless of exposure day, and the incidence was close to 100% at 3 micrograms TCDD/kg and higher doses on GD 12 and earlier. At all doses on GD 14, both the incidence and severity of hydronephrosis were decreased relative to all other days. There was a dose-related increase in the severity of the renal lesion on each day, but between GD 6 and 12 severity was constant. Thus, while palatal sensitivity to TCDD increased with gestational age between GD 6 and 12, there was no difference among these days in development of hydronephrosis. The data suggest, however, that on GD 14 the urinary tract may be less sensitive to TCDD.

Changes in the structure and function of aged skin may alter percutaneous absorption of environmental compounds such as the halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons. TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) and 2,3,4,7,8-penta-chlorodibenzofuran (4PeCDF) were previously found to be poorly absorbed in 3 months male Fischer 344 rats within 3 days after dermal administration. In order to examine age-related changes in dermal absorption and changes in potential for systemic exposure, the absorption, distribution, and elimination of TCDD and 4PeCDF were examined in male Fischer 344 rats of various ages (TCDD: 10, 36, and 96 week; 4PeCDF: 10, 36, 64, 96, and 120 week). Each compound was applied at a dose of 0.1 mumol/kg and/or 0.04 mumol in 60 microliters acetone to a preclipped region of the back and covered with a stainless-steel perforated cap. Rats were housed in individual metabolism cages for 3 days. Dermal absorption of both compounds was decreased in older age groups compared to 10 week rats. The major tissue depots for both compounds were liver, adipose, skin, and muscle and in comparable age groups, the liver:fat ratio was greater in 4PeCDF-treated animals. Age-related changes in the distribution of the administered dose and the absorbed dose varied with the compound as well as the depot. Elimination of TCDD and 4PeCDF was limited at all ages. Results indicate that percutaneous absorption of these compounds is decreased in older animals, suggesting that systemic bioavailability may be decreased in older organisms following dermal exposure to TCDD or 4PeCDF.

2,3-Dichloropropene (DCP) is an intermediate used in the manufacture of carbamate herbicides and there is potential for human exposure during the manufacturing process. DCP is a known mutagen in bacteria systems and some structural analogs of DCP are carcinogenic. Since little is known about the disposition of DCP in animals after inhalation, studies were conducted in male Fischer-344 rats to determine the effect of vapor concentration on absorption and excretion. Uptake and elimination of 14C was studied in rats after nose-only inhalation of 17, 240, or 1650 nmol of [14C]DCP vapor/liter of air (0.4, 6, or 40 ppm, respectively, at 760 mm and 25 degrees C) for 6 hr. The percentage of inhaled DCP absorbed averaged 38% and was not statistically different at any vapor concentration, although minute volume was lower during exposure to 1650 nmol/liter. Urine, feces, and expired air were collected from rats for 65 hr after exposure. Rats were sacrificed and tissues, carcass, excreta, and expired air were analyzed for 14C. Routes of 14C excretion were independent of vapor concentration, with 50% of the 14C excreted in urine, 13% in feces, approximately 7% as CO2, and less than 1% as DCP in expired air. Rates of 14C excretion were also independent of vapor concentration, with the half-times averaging 9.9 hr (urine), 13.6 hr (feces), and 0.9 hr (14CO2). Sixty hours after inhalation, 29% of the initial body burden of 14C remained in the carcass. Most was associated with the pelt, but some 14C was found in all tissues. Respiratory tract, GI tract, liver, and kidney were tissues with the highest 14C contents. The results indicate that DCP metabolism and excretion rates are relatively constant throughout the vapor concentration range studied. This suggests that results from more detailed pharmacokinetic studies (and possibly toxicity studies) at one DCP concentration may be extrapolated to other concentrations within this range.

1,1,1-Trichloroethane (TCEN), a major industrial and household solvent, was evaluated for pre- and postnatal developmental effects in Sprague-Dawley rats. This study was designed to assess the repeatability of a report (S.C. Dapson, D.E. Hutcheon, and D. Lehr, Teratology 29, 25A, 1984) that indicated that 10 ppm TCEN in drinking water caused cardiac malformations in developing rats. In the present study, TCEN (97% pure) was administered in the drinking water at target concentrations of 3, 10, and 30 ppm, using 0.05% Tween 80 as an emulsifying agent. Two control groups, one receiving deionized/filtered water and the other receiving a vehicle control solution containing 0.05% Tween 80 and 0.9 ppm 1,4-dioxane, a stabilizing agent found in the bulk chemical, were also included. Male and female breeders (more than 30 per group) were exposed to the control solutions or test compound for 14 consecutive days prior to cohabitation and for up to 13 days during the cohabitation phase. Sperm-positive females (24-29 per group) continued to be exposed to these formulations during pregnancy and lactation to Postnatal Day (PND) 21. Parental animals exhibited a slight aversion to the 30-ppm drinking water during the premating exposure. No significant effect on reproductive competence of the parental animals or postnatal growth and development of the offspring to PND 21 was noted. A slight increase in mortality from implantation to PND 1, possibly due to high mortality in one litter, was observed in the 30-ppm dose group. There was no indication of an increase in the incidence of cardiac or other malformations in PND 21 pups. In summary, TCEN administered at 3, 10, and 30 ppm in the drinking water had no significant effect on the morphological development of CD rats.

Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) is a 10-carbon straight-chain fatty acid. Its toxicity in rats has been reported to resemble that produced by exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Mice which are "responsive" to TCDD toxicity carry the Ahb allele, while mice homozygous for the Ahd gene are less sensitive to TCDD toxicity. To characterize the toxicity of PFDA and determine if it is under the control of the Ah locus, female responsive C57BL/6N (Ahb/b) mice and congenic C57BL/6J mice, differing only at the Ah locus (responsive, Ahb/b; heterozygous responsive, Ahb/d and "nonresponsive," Ahd/d), were administered a single oral dose of PFDA, at levels from 0 to 320 mg/kg body weight, observed daily for overt signs of toxicity, and weighed three times weekly. In the wild-type congenic C57BL/6J (Ahb/b) subline, mice were killed at 2, 7, 14, and 30 days following exposure. All other mice were killed on Day 30. Serum was taken from the C57BL/6N mice for analysis of thyroid hormone levels. Selected organs from all mice were weighed and fixed for histopathological examination. Dose-related mortality was observed as early as 5 days postexposure and time-to-death was inversely related to dose. Dramatic decreases in body weight occurred shortly following treatment in all strains. Serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) levels increased with increasing dose. There was a marked increase (p less than 0.05) in absolute and relative liver weights and a significant decrease in thymus weights. Hepatocellular hypertrophy was observed in all treated mice other than controls. A marked increase in hepatocyte peroxisomes was observed in all treatment groups. Thus, in contrast to TCDD, the acute toxicity of PFDA in the female C57BL/6 mouse does not vary with the Ah allele and is distinct from that reported for TCDD.

Fischer 344 rats were exposed acutely to 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (4-PeCDF) during the organogenic period to evaluate its potential as an inducer of teratogenic and embryolethal effects. All dams were treated by gavage with a single dose of 0, 30, 100, or 300 μg 4-PeCDF/kg body wt on gestation Day (gd) 8, 10, or 12. An additional treatment group was included on gd 12 and administered 10 μg 4-PeCDF/kg body wt po. All animals were killed on gd 20 and maternal and fetal toxicities were assessed. Determination of embryotoxicity involved both soft tissue and skeletal examinations. 4-PeCDF induced a dose-related decrease in corrected maternal weight gain following treatment on gd 8 and 10, as well as resulted in a concomitant increase in the liver/body weight ratios, first evident at 30 μg/kg for all 3 days of exposure. The maternal thymus weight decreased relative to body weight compared with those of controls. Embryo-fetal toxicity was evident from the high mortality (>80%) observed at 300 μg/kg for all 3 days of exposure. Mean fetal weight, a sensitive indicator of fetal toxicity, decreased compared to that of controls at 30, 100, and 300 μg/kg following treatment on either gd 8, 10, or 12. 4-PeCDF induced cleft palate in survivors at a dose of 300 μg/kg for all 3 days of exposure. In conclusion, 4-PeCDF is maternally and fetally toxic regardless of the gestation day of exposure, but induced terata only at doses where overt maternal and fetal toxicity were observed, in contrast to previously reported studies in the mice where teratogenic effects were observed at nonfetotoxic dose levels. Thus, the mouse may be a more sensitive model for evaluating specific toxic responses induced prenatally following exposure to the structurally related polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons which include the dioxins, furans, biphenyls, and naphthalenes.

Azodicarbonamide (ADA) is widely used as a blowing agent in the manufacture of expanded foam plastics, as an aging and bleaching agent in flour, and as a bread dough conditioner. Human exposures have been reported during manufacture as well as during use. Groups of male F344/N rats were administered ADA by gavage, by intratracheal instillation, and by inhalation exposure to determine the disposition and modes of excretion of ADA and its metabolites. At 72 hr following gavage, 30% of the administered ADA was absorbed whereas following intratracheal instillation, absorption was 90%. Comparison between groups of rats exposed by inhalation to ADA to achieve body burdens of 24 or 1230 micrograms showed no significant differences in modes or rates of excretion of (/sup 14/C)ADA equivalents. ADA was readily converted to biurea under physiological conditions and biurea was the only /sup 14/C-labeled compound present in excreta. (/sup 14/C)ADA equivalents were present in all examined tissues immediately after inhalation exposure, and clearance half-times on the order of 1 day were evident for all tissues investigated. Storage depots for (/sup 14/C)ADA equivalents were not observed. The rate of buildup of (/sup 14/C)ADA equivalents in blood was linearly related to the lung content as measuredmore » from rats withdrawn at selected times during a 6-hr inhalation exposure at an aerosol concentration of 25 micrograms ADA/liter. In a study extending 102 days after exposure, retention of (/sup 14/C)ADA equivalents in tissues was described by a two-component negative exponential function. The results from this study indicate that upon inhalation, ADA is rapidly converted to biurea and that biurea is then eliminated rapidly from all tissues with the majority of the elimination via the urine.« less

The purpose of this study was to develop a physiological model to simulate the uptake of vinylidene fluoride (VDF), an important plastics monomer, in laboratory animals. Male Fischer 344/N rats were exposed nose-only for 6 hr to concentrations of VDF ranging from 27 to 16,000 ppm. Tidal volume (mean, 1.51 ml/breath) and respiratory frequency (mean, 132 breaths/min) were not influenced by exposure concentration. Experimentally determined, steady-state blood levels of VDF, obtained by gas chromatography-head space analysis of samples from rats with indwelling jugular cannulas, increased linearly with increasing exposure concentration up to 16,000 ppm. VDF tissue/air partition coefficients were determined experimentally to be 0.07, 0.18, 0.8, 1.0, and 0.29 for water, blood, liver, fat, and muscle, respectively. These values and calculated constants for total body elimination of VDF, Km and Vmax were incorporated into the physiological model. Model predictions agreed with the experimentally determined data. Time to reach steady-state blood levels of VDF was less than 15 min for all concentrations. After cessation of exposure, blood levels of VDF decreased to 10% of steady-state levels by 1 hr. Simulation of the metabolism of VDF indicated that although blood levels of VDF increased linearly with increasing concentration the amount of VDF metabolized per 6-hr exposure period approached a maximum at about 2000 ppm VDF.

Hexabrominated naphthalenes (HBNs) have been identified as contaminants in the commercial PBB mixture, Firemaster. Similarities between polyhalogenated naphthalenes and polyhalogenated biphenyls, dibenzofurans, and dibenzo-p-dioxins with regards to structure and capacity to elicit certain toxicological responses in laboratory animals have previously been evaluated. In this study, teratogenicity and embryo/fetal toxicity, which have been associated with maternal exposure to other toxic polyhalogenated aromatics, was characterized for a synthetic mixture of HBNs in C57BL/6N mice. Pregnant adult mice were treated on gestation Days 6 through 15 with 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 mg HBN/kg body wt/day and sacrificed on gestation Day 18. Maternal toxicity as evidenced by decreased body weight gain or actual weight loss was observed at 7.5 and 10.0 mg/kg/day. Maternal liver-to-body weight ratios were increased relative to controls at all exposure levels. Dose-related increases were recorded in fetal mortality at 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 mg/kg/day, and in the incidence of various teratogenic effects at all dose levels. Kidney lesions, best described as apparent hydronephrosis, were the most sensitive fetal abnormality observed, followed by a reduction in the size of lymphatic organs (thymus and spleen), cleft palate, subcutaneous edema, sternebral anomalies, and delayed cranial ossification. HBNs are concluded to be potent fetotoxic and teratogenic agents producing similar effects to TCDD and other toxic polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons.

o-Benzyl-p-chlorophenol (BCP) is a major household and industrial germicide. Its prechronic toxicity was evaluated in male and female F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice. Treatment was by gavage in corn oil. BCP was slightly toxic after acute oral exposure, with high mortality at 4000 and 2000 mg/kg in rats and mice. Exposure to 12 oral doses of BCP at 1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5, or 0 mg/kg body wt resulted in dose-related cecal dilatation and nephrosis in both rats and mice. Doses for the subchronic studies were based on the results of the 2-week studies. Ten animals were treated per dose per sex. Rats received 480, 240, 120, 60, 30, or 0 mg BCP/kg. Mice were treated with 1000, 800, 650, 500, or 0 mg BCP/kg. Animals were dosed 5 days per week for 13 weeks. Clinical signs related to dosing included urogenital staining in rats and rough/oily haircoats in mice. No effects on growth rate were seen in rats, but growth was retarded at the higher doses used in mice. Kidney weights increased in rats, and liver weights increased in mice. A decrease in thymus weight accompanied by a depletion in thymic lymphocytes (rats) or thymic necrosis (mice) occurred only in a high-dose animals. In both species, the kidney was the major target organ. In rats, there was an increase in incidence and severity of nephropathy and renal tubule regeneration. The lesions in mice primarily involved the renal cortex and included necrosis, casts, chronic inflammation, and regeneration of the renal tubules. No effects of BCP exposure in rats were seen in a broad spectrum of hematology or urinalysis parameters. Minor decreases in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and alanine amino transferase were detected in male and female rats. There were no biologically significant neurobehavioral effects in rats or immunotoxic effects in mice due to exposure to BCP. Thus, the kidney is the major target organ for BCP.