title: Developmental toxicity of dimethyl sulfate by inhalation in the rat.
abstract: Dimethyl sulfate (DMS; CAS No. 77-78) is a colorless, oily liquid which is used as a chemical intermediate and as a reactant in producing polyurethane resins. In this study, groups of pregnant Crl:CD BR rats were exposed, nose-only, to either 0.1, 0.7 or 1.5 ppm DMS by inhalation for 6 hr/day from Days 7 through 16 of gestation (day in which copulation plug was detected was designated Day 1G). A control group of pregnant rats was exposed simultaneously to air only. All female rats were euthanized on Day 22G and the fetuses were examined. A suppression of both food consumption and the rate of body weight gain was seen in the 0.7 and 1.5 ppm groups. No unusual clinical signs were seen in rats exposed to DMS. None of the reproductive parameters was altered in any of the groups and no statistically significant fetal effects were detected. DMS is not a developmental toxin in the rat following inhalation exposures up to 1.5 ppm during the period of major organogenesis.
authors.affiliation: E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Haskell Laboratory for Toxicology and Industrial Medicine, Newark, DE 19714, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hurtt
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D009153:Mutagens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009153:Mutagens; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters; C007482:dimethyl sulfate