The effects on the rat testis of single inhalation exposures to ethylene glycol monoalkyl ethers, in particular ethylene glycol monomethyl ether.

Abstract

The effects of a single inhalation exposure to the rat of the saturated vapours derived from four ethylene glycol monoalkyl ethers have been investigated. No effects on the testis were observed following exposure to ethylene glycol isopropyl ether (EG ISOPE) and ethylene glycol butyl ether (EGBE), but there were marked reductions in testicular weight 14 days after exposure to ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) and ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGEE). Further studies were designed to establish the effect of a single exposure to EGME. Mature male albino rats were exposed to various levels of EGME vapour for a single 4-h period and killed 14 days later. Following this single exposure a dose-related decrease in testis weight was observed in rats exposed to 5,000, 2,500 or 1,250 ppm EGME. Histopathological examination revealed disordered spermatogenesis and tubular atrophy in these animals. Minimal degenerative changes were seen in the testis of rats exposed to 625 ppm EGME. When rats were examined at various time intervals after exposure to EGME vapour for 4 h, testis weight was reduced in rats examined 2 days after exposure to 2,500 and 1,000 ppm EGME and remained depressed when compared with control values for up to 19 days following exposure. Histopathological examination of the testis revealed disordered spermatogenesis in exposed animals evident at 1 day following exposure to either 2,500 or 1,00 ppm EGME.