Biological effects of short-term, high-concentration exposure to methyl isocyanate. II. Blood chemistry and hematologic evaluations

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.877221· OSTI ID:6016071

Troup, C M; Dodd, D E; Fowler, E H; Frank, F R

Human, rat, and guinea pig packed erythrocytes exposed to 100, 500, or 1000 ppm of methyl isocyanate (MIC) vapor in vitro showed a concentration-related inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE) activity. Rat and guinea pig packed erythrocytes showed an almost complete inhibition of ChE activity at 2000 ppm. In vitro exposures of human and guinea pig blood to 1000 or 2000 ppm of MIC vapor resulted in qualitative alterations in the electrophoretic mobility of hemoglobin (Hb) as measured by citrated agar electrophoresis. In rats and guinea pigs, neither IV injection of liquid MIC nor in vivo exposure to 1000 ppm of MIC by inhalation resulted in any inhibition of erythrocyte ChE activity or alteration in Hb electrophoretic mobility. As a result of these observations, it was concluded that neither ChE inhibition nor structural alteration of Hb were major contributing factors to death resulting from MIC exposure. Rats and guinea pigs receiving IV injections of liquid MIC showed an increase in creatine kinase (CK) levels. This increase could not be attributed to a specific isoenzyme of CK by ion exchange chromatography. Rats exposed to 100, 600, or 1000 ppm of MIC and guinea pigs exposed to 25, 125, or 225 ppm of MIC and bled immediately following a 15-min exposure or at 1, 2, 4, or 16 hr postexposure had the following alterations in blood parameters: (a) an increase in CK, (b) increases in hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit, (c) reticulocytosis (rats only), (d) neutrophilia, (e) a decrease in blood pH and PO/sub 2/, and (f) an increase in blood PCO/sub 2/. These findings indicate the occurrence of generalized hypoxic injury with concomitant pathophysiologic alterations, e.g., increases in hemoglobin and hematocrit concentrations.

• Research Organization: Union Carbide Corp., Export, PA
• OSTI ID: 6016071
• Journal Information: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States) Vol. 72; ISSN EVHPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACUTE EXPOSURE
ANIMALS
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
BLOOD COUNT
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CARBOXYLESTERASES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMISTRY
CHOLINESTERASE
ELECTROPHORESIS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
ERYTHROCYTES
ESTERASES
GLOBIN
GUINEA PIGS
HEMATOLOGY
HEMOGLOBIN
HETEROCYCLIC ACIDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROLASES
IN VITRO
IN VIVO
INHALATION
INHIBITION
INTAKE
ISOCYANATES
LUNGS
MAMMALS
MAN
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PH VALUE
PIGMENTS
PORPHYRINS
PRIMATES
PROTEINS
RATS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES