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Title: Inhalation developmental toxicology studies: Acetonitrile in rats. Final report

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10133391· OSTI ID:10133391

The potential for acetonitrile to cause developmental toxicity was assessed in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to 0, 100, 400, or 1200 ppM acetonitrile, 6 hours/day, 7 days/week. Exposure of rats to these concentrations of acetonitrile resulted in mortality in the 1200 ppM group (2/33 pregnant females; 1/10 non-pregnant females). However, there were no treatment-related effects upon body weights or reproduction indices at any exposure level, nor was there a significant increase in the incidence of fetal malformations or variations. The only effect observed in the fetuses was a slight, but not statiscally significant, exposure-correlated increase in the incidence of supernumerary ribs. Determination of acetonitrile and cyanide concentrations in maternal rat blood showed that acetonitrile concentration in the blood increased with exposure concentration for all exposed maternal rats. Detectable amounts of cyanide in the blood were found only in the rats exposed to 1200 ppM acetonitrile ({approximately}2 {mu}g cyanide/g of blood).

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
10133391
Report Number(s):
PNL-9401; ON: DE94008272
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Feb 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English