Comparative toxicological study of ethylglycol acetate and butylglycol acetate

Abstract

A comparative toxicological study of ethylglycol acetate (EGA) and butylglycol acetate (BGA) has been carried out using rats and rabbits and different routes of administration. Acute toxicity studies show that, by oral administration, both solvents were moderately toxic: LD50 BGA = 3000 mg/kg for male rats, 2400 mg/kg for female rats; LD50 EGA = 3900 mg/kg for male rats, 2900 mg/kg for female rats. Ingestion was followed by severe hematuria, which decreased progressively but persisted for over 1 week. After skin contact, BGA penetrated more easily and was far more toxic than EGA in rabbits: LD50 BGA = 1500 mg/kg; LD50 EGA = 10,500 mg/kg. Hematuria and/or hemolysis and the consequent fall of red blood cells and hemoglobin were much more marked with BGA than with EGA; the latter induced mainly marked decrease in white blood cells. Recovery was progressive in animals surviving the intoxication. Rats and rabbits survived a single inhalation exposure of 4 hr to saturated vapor-air mixtures of both solvents, i.e., approximately 400 ppm for BGA and 2000 ppm for EGA at 20°C. Subacute (1 month) pulmonary intoxication with BGA induced hemoglobinuria and/or hematuria, mainly in rabbits. In 10-month toxicity studies by inhalation, no hemoglobinuria and/or hematuria, hematological modifications, or weight increase abnormalities were noted. As for local toxicity, both solvents were practically nonirritant. Histological studies showed that animals which died from intoxication with either BGA or EGA exhibited kidney injury, even with low doses; the severity of the lesions increasing proportionally with the dose. For BGA these lesions consisted of necrotizing hemorrhagic interstitial tubular nephrosis, nonlithiasic, with occasional glomerular lesions. With EGA, lesions were less serious but of the same type, with, however, a prevalence of necrosis and a higher frequency of glomerular injury. In animals that survived intoxication with either solvent, there was a progressive restoration of the renal parenchyma. In the 10-month toxicity study the renal lesions were very discrete.