The acute, developmental, genetic and inhalation toxicology of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf)

Abstract

2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf) is being developed as a refrigerant because it has a very low global warming potential (less than 10), as contrasted to the hydrofluorocarbons, which is intended to replace with values of over 500. Several toxicology studies were conducted to develop a toxicology profile for this material. There was no lethality in mice and rats receiving single 4-hour exposures up to 101 850 or 405 800 ppm, respectively. Additionally, there was no mortality or clinical signs of toxicity when rabbits were exposed to 100 000 ppm for 1 hour. Exposures up to 120 000 ppm did not induce cardiac sensitization to adrenalin in dogs. Rats were exposed to HFO-1234yf at levels of 5000, 20 000 and 50 000 ppm 6 hours/day 5 days/week for 2 weeks and at levels of 5000, 15 000 and 50 000 ppm for 4 weeks and for 90 days. No treatment-related adverse effects were noted in these studies. HFO-1234yf was not genotoxic in a mouse and a rat micronucleus assay, and unscheduled DNA synthesis assay and was not clastogenic in human lymphocytes. HFO-1234yf was mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA 100 and Escherichia coli (WP2 uvrA) at concentrations of 20% and higher in the presence of metabolic activation only. There were no biologically significant effects in a rat developmental toxicity study with exposures up to 50 000 ppm.