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Effects of jet fuel on the immune system of mice
Information Section
susceptible or adapt less readily than the pituitary gland and testes to endocrine disruption caused by PCB congeners" (Desaulniers D. et al., Toxicology andlndustrialHeal.rh 1997, 13, 627).
Acute toxicity ond irrltancy of bis(2(dimethylamino)ethyl) ether in anlmals A series of tests in ,'ats and rabbits found that this catalyst (used in the manufacture of polyurethane) exhibited a moderate oral toxicity, a moderate to high toxicity by the dermal and inhalation routes, and a severe eye, skin and respiratory irritancy (Ballantyne B., Vet~.~naryand Human Toxicology 1997, 39, 290).
2-Bramopropane reproductive toxicity in rats A further attempt to clarify the role of 2-bromopropane (2BP) in the intoxication of workers at an electronics company in Korea (BIBRA Bull 1996, 35, 370) found the ':estes (decreased weight and pathological changes) and blood system to be the target organs in male rats treated by intraperitoneal injection for 28 day's. The investigators concluded that their data "strongly support the conclusion that the causal agent for the bone marrow and reproductive toxicity of the electronics company workers might be 2.BP" (Yu I.J. et aL, Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 1997, 23,
281). Effects of jet fuel on the immune system of mice Daily inhalation of JP-8 jet fuel by mice for 1 week has been shown to cause persistent adverse effects on the immune system. The mice were exposed to 1000 or 2500 mg/m 3 aerosolized fuel for I hour daily to mimic occalpationaJ exposure, and were then assessed for up to 28 days. Both dose levels caused changes in the weight of the thymus, decreases in the number of viable immune cells in the spleen and suppression of their function lasting 28 days. It was concluded that such long-term changes in immune status may have significant effects on the health of individuals who are occupationally exposed to JP-8, the major jet fuel of the US Air Force and Army (Harris D.T. et al., Toxicology and Industrial Health 1997, 13, 559).
Dlethylene glycol monoethyl ether-subchronic inhalation study in rats In a 28-day inhalation study in rats, exposures of 0.27 or 1.1 mg/litre produced no overt signs of toxicity, and no effects on growth, organ weights or blood morpholcgy or biochemistry. A microscopic examination of the tissues of major
1231
organs found effects only in the upper respiratory tract (the larynx and the nasal mucosa), indicative of mild, non-specific, irritation. The no-effect level for this local irritancy was 0.09 mg/litre (Hardy C.J. et aL, Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 1997, 38, 143).
3,4-Benzpyrene affects the sexual behaviour of rats across the generations Treatment of female rats during the first 24 hours of life with a single injection of this common environmental pollutant (about 0.2 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously) has been found to affect the sexual behaviour (receptivity) of females of the two subsequent generations (Csaba G. and Karabelyos C., Human and Experimental Toxicology 1997, 16, 553).
Butyl benzyl phthalate exposure and sexual development in rats No effects were seen on the sexual development of the offspring of rats given drinking water containing 1000 ~igbutyl benzyl phthalate/litre (producing a dose of just under 200 jig/kg body weight/day) throughout pregnancy and lactation. Owing to ~current uncertainties in endocrine toxicity research~, the investigators regarded their observations as ~failing to confirm those made by Sharpe et al. (1995) [BIBRA Bull. 1996, 35, 39], rather than necessarily refuting them" (Ashby J. et aL, Regulatory Toxicologyand Pharmacology 1997, 26, 102).
Environmental i l l n e ~ o role for mercury?
evidence of a
Out of a group of 50 Danes who had symptoms which they attributed to their amalgam fillings, half were treated with a metal chelator (succimer, 30 mg/kg body weight/day for 5 days) and half with a placebo. Both groups showed an improvement in symptoms over the 5-day treatment period. The effect was no greater in the patients given the chelator than in those given the placebo, even though the chelator treatment produced a significant increase in urinary excretion of mercury and lead (Grandjean P. et aL, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1997, 39, 707).
Dental materials mutagenic in mammalian cells Three different glutaraldehyde-containing dentin bonding gents were mutagenic in mammalian ceUs in culture. The chemical component responsible for the observed mutagenicity has not yet been conclusively identified (Schweikl H. and Schmalz G., Journal of Biomedical Materials Research 1997, 36, 284).
susceptible or adapt less readily than the pituitary gland and testes to endocrine disruption caused by PCB congeners" (Desaulniers D. et al., Toxicology andlndustrialHeal.rh 1997, 13, 627).
Acute toxicity ond irrltancy of bis(2(dimethylamino)ethyl) ether in anlmals A series of tests in ,'ats and rabbits found that this catalyst (used in the manufacture of polyurethane) exhibited a moderate oral toxicity, a moderate to high toxicity by the dermal and inhalation routes, and a severe eye, skin and respiratory irritancy (Ballantyne B., Vet~.~naryand Human Toxicology 1997, 39, 290).
2-Bramopropane reproductive toxicity in rats A further attempt to clarify the role of 2-bromopropane (2BP) in the intoxication of workers at an electronics company in Korea (BIBRA Bull 1996, 35, 370) found the ':estes (decreased weight and pathological changes) and blood system to be the target organs in male rats treated by intraperitoneal injection for 28 day's. The investigators concluded that their data "strongly support the conclusion that the causal agent for the bone marrow and reproductive toxicity of the electronics company workers might be 2.BP" (Yu I.J. et aL, Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 1997, 23,
281). Effects of jet fuel on the immune system of mice Daily inhalation of JP-8 jet fuel by mice for 1 week has been shown to cause persistent adverse effects on the immune system. The mice were exposed to 1000 or 2500 mg/m 3 aerosolized fuel for I hour daily to mimic occalpationaJ exposure, and were then assessed for up to 28 days. Both dose levels caused changes in the weight of the thymus, decreases in the number of viable immune cells in the spleen and suppression of their function lasting 28 days. It was concluded that such long-term changes in immune status may have significant effects on the health of individuals who are occupationally exposed to JP-8, the major jet fuel of the US Air Force and Army (Harris D.T. et al., Toxicology and Industrial Health 1997, 13, 559).
Dlethylene glycol monoethyl ether-subchronic inhalation study in rats In a 28-day inhalation study in rats, exposures of 0.27 or 1.1 mg/litre produced no overt signs of toxicity, and no effects on growth, organ weights or blood morpholcgy or biochemistry. A microscopic examination of the tissues of major
1231
organs found effects only in the upper respiratory tract (the larynx and the nasal mucosa), indicative of mild, non-specific, irritation. The no-effect level for this local irritancy was 0.09 mg/litre (Hardy C.J. et aL, Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 1997, 38, 143).
3,4-Benzpyrene affects the sexual behaviour of rats across the generations Treatment of female rats during the first 24 hours of life with a single injection of this common environmental pollutant (about 0.2 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously) has been found to affect the sexual behaviour (receptivity) of females of the two subsequent generations (Csaba G. and Karabelyos C., Human and Experimental Toxicology 1997, 16, 553).
Butyl benzyl phthalate exposure and sexual development in rats No effects were seen on the sexual development of the offspring of rats given drinking water containing 1000 ~igbutyl benzyl phthalate/litre (producing a dose of just under 200 jig/kg body weight/day) throughout pregnancy and lactation. Owing to ~current uncertainties in endocrine toxicity research~, the investigators regarded their observations as ~failing to confirm those made by Sharpe et al. (1995) [BIBRA Bull. 1996, 35, 39], rather than necessarily refuting them" (Ashby J. et aL, Regulatory Toxicologyand Pharmacology 1997, 26, 102).
Environmental i l l n e ~ o role for mercury?
evidence of a
Out of a group of 50 Danes who had symptoms which they attributed to their amalgam fillings, half were treated with a metal chelator (succimer, 30 mg/kg body weight/day for 5 days) and half with a placebo. Both groups showed an improvement in symptoms over the 5-day treatment period. The effect was no greater in the patients given the chelator than in those given the placebo, even though the chelator treatment produced a significant increase in urinary excretion of mercury and lead (Grandjean P. et aL, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1997, 39, 707).
Dental materials mutagenic in mammalian cells Three different glutaraldehyde-containing dentin bonding gents were mutagenic in mammalian ceUs in culture. The chemical component responsible for the observed mutagenicity has not yet been conclusively identified (Schweikl H. and Schmalz G., Journal of Biomedical Materials Research 1997, 36, 284).