Subchronic inhalation toxicity study of diethylbenzene in Wistar rats
10.12729/jbtr.2024.25.3.119
- Author:
Eun-Sang CHO
1
;
Dae-Sik RHA
Author Information
1. Inhalation Toxicity Research Center, Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, KOSHA, Daejeon 34122, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:
Journal of Biomedical and Translational Research
2024;25(3):119-132
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Diethylbenzene (DEB) is a colorless flammable liquid composed of a benzene ring and two ethyl substituents. DEBs mostly exist as a mixture of isomers and are mainly used as inter-mediates and solvents occupationally. Workers may be exposed to DEB inhalation during their occupational activities including manufacturing or processing of materials; however, limited data are available on the risk assessment of DEB mixtures. In this study, male and female Wistar rats were exposed to vapors of a DEB mixture for 13-weeks (6 hr/day, 5 days/ week) at concentrations of 0, 40, 80, and 160 ppm in a whole-body inhalation chamber. Clini-cal signs, mean body weight, food consumption, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), hema-tology, blood biochemistry, gross findings, organ weights, and microscopic findings were ex-amined to determine the toxicity of DEB mixture. The exposure concentrations in chambers were 39.48 ± 1.13 ppm, 80.43 ± 2.06 ppm, and 160.20 ± 4.42 ppm for the low, medium, and high dose groups, respectively. No changes related to the test substance were observed, including changes in clinical observation, body weight, food consumption, BALF and blood analysis, necropsy findings, absolute and relative organ weights or histopathological analysis.Based on these results, the NOAEC (no-observed-adverse-effect-concentration) of DEB was defined as 160 ppm under the study conditions.
