Ethylene: Genotoxic potential using the bone marrow micronucleus test following four weeks of vapor exposure
- Bushy Run Research Center/Union Carbide Corporation, Export, PA (United States)
Ethylene (CAS No. 74-85-1) is known to be metabolized to the mutagen ethylene oxide (EO) in mice, rats, and humans. To assess the genotoxic potential of ethylene in vivo, male Fischer 344 rats and male B6C3F1 mice (10 animals/group) were exposed to ethylene vapor for 6 hours/day, 5 days/week, and 4 weeks. Ethylene target exposure concentrations of 0, 40, 1000, and 3000 ppm were selected on the basis of pharmacokinetic studies which have shown that metabolism of ethylene to EO is saturated at ethylene exposure concentrations of approximately 1000 ppm. An EO reference group was exposed under the same conditions at a target concentration of 200 ppm. Chamber concentrations were determined approximately every 60 minutes by gas chromatography and remained within 10% of the target concentrations. Bone marrow was collected approximately 24 hours after the final exposure. Polychromatic (PCE) to normochromatic (NCE) erythrocyte ratios were determined and 2000 PCE/animal were scored for the presence of micronuclei. Ethylene did not produce statistically significant, exposure-related increases in the frequency of micronucleated PCE in either rats or mice. The frequencies of micronucleated PCE were .30, .25, .22, and .24% in rats and .22, .30, .26, and .26% in mice exposed to 0, 40, 1000, and 3000 ppm ethylene, respectively. Although the frequency of micronucleated PCE in the 40 ppm mice was statistically significant compared to the air-exposed control mice, this result was considered biologically significant since it was not reproduced at 1000 or 3000 ppm ethylene. EO produced significant increases in the frequencies of micronucleated PCE in both species when compared to the air-exposed control animals. The frequency of micronucleated PCE in EO-exposed animals was .79% in rats and .72% in mice.
- OSTI ID:
- 88927
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9405324--
- Journal Information:
- Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis, Journal Name: Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis Journal Issue: Suppl.23 Vol. 23; ISSN 0893-6692; ISSN EMMUEG
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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