The effect on rats of single exposures to crotonaldehyde vapor.

Abstract

Abstract The previous limited acute toxicity data on crotonaldehyde vapor have been extended to include exposure varying from 5 minues to 4 hours. The lethal concentrations to rats were 3200 ppm for 5-minutes exposures, 1650 ppm for 10 minutes, 850 ppm for 15 minutes, 600 ppm for 30 minutes, 400 ppm for 1 hour, and 100 ppm for 4 hours. At concentrations above 1000. ppm a CNS effect is evident during exposure as well as pulmonary irritation postexposure. The odor is strong at 15 ppm and extremely obnoxious at 45 ppm. Levels of 45 ppm for a few seconds also produce a burning sensation of the conjunctivae; however, at 15 ppm no eye discomfort was noted. Single sublethal exposures of rats showed changes in pulmonary performance (rate of uptake of CO and ether) from concentration × time (CT) levels of 2000 ppm-minutes or above and at concentrations at least as low as 10 ppm. Histological manifestations typical of pulmonary irritation were still evident 3 days postexposure in rats exposed to CT levels of 8000 p...