Premium
Subchronic toxicology of butyl nitrites in mice by inhalation
Author(s) -
McFadden David P.,
Maickel Roger P.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of applied toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.784
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1099-1263
pISSN - 0260-437X
DOI - 10.1002/jat.2550050303
Subject(s) - nitrite , inhalation , chemistry , methemoglobinemia , amyl nitrite , inhalation exposure , body weight , toxicology , anesthesia , medicine , biochemistry , organic chemistry , biology , nitrate
Mice were exposed by inhalation to n ‐butyl, iso ‐butyl sec ‐butyl or tert ‐butyl nitrite in a dynamic airflow chamber 7 h per day for 60 days at concentrations that caused less than 20% fatalities. Under these conditions, body‐weight gain was depressed over the first 30 days by all four compounds, but returned to normal over the final 30 days for all compounds except tert ‐butyl nitrite. Spleen weights were increased by all four butyl nitrites, and lung weights were increased by all except sec ‐butyl nitrite. Kidney weights were increased by iso ‐butyl and sec ‐butyl nitrites, but decreased by the tert ‐butyl compound. Liver weights were increased by iso ‐butyl nitrite exposure and decreased by tert ‐butyl nitrite exposure. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that a significant aspect of butyl nitrite toxicity is due to the resultant methemoglobinemia.