Environmental Health and Toxicology  2011;26(1):e2011006-

Evaluation of Maternal Toxicity in Rats Exposed to Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes during Pregnancy.

Jeong Hyeon LIM 1 ; Sung Hwan KIM ; In Chul LEE ; Changjong MOON ; Sung Ho KIM ; Dong Ho SHIN ; Hyoung Chin KIM ; Jong Choon KIM

Affiliations

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Keywords

Carbon nanotubes; Pregnancy; Maternal toxicity; Oxidative stress; Serum biochemistry

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The present study investigated the potential adverse effects of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on pregnant dams and embryonic development following maternal exposure in rats. METHODS: MWCNTs were orally administered to pregnant rats from gestational day (GD) 6 through 19 at dose levels of 0, 8, 40, 200, and 1000 mg/kg/day. During the test period, clinical signs, mortality, body weights, food consumption, serum biochemistry, oxidant-antioxidant status, gross findings, organ weights, and Caesarean section findings were examined. RESULTS: All animals survived to the end of the study. A decrease in thymus weight was observed in the highest dose group. However, maternal body weight, food consumption, serum biochemical parameters, and oxidant-antioxidant balance in the kidneys were not affected by treatment with MWCNTs. No treatment-related differences in gestational index, embryo-fetal mortality, or fetal and placental weights were observed between treated and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that 14-day repeated oral dosing of MWCNTs during pregnancy induces minimal maternal toxicity at 1000 mg/kg/day in rats. Under these experimental conditions, the no-observed-adverse-effect level of MWCNTs is considered to be 200 mg/kg/day for dams and 1000 mg/kg/day for embryonic development.