Health assessment of gasoline and fuel oxygenate vapors: developmental toxicity in rats.
Gasoline-vapor condensate (BGVC) or condensed vapors from gasoline blended with methyl t-butyl ether (G/MTBE), ethyl t-butyl ether (G/ETBE), t-amyl methyl ether (G/TAME) diisopropyl ether (G/DIPE), ethanol (G/EtOH), or t-butyl alcohol (G/TBA) were evaluated for developmental toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed via inhalation on gestation days (GD) 5-20 for 6h/day at levels of 0 (control filtered air), 2000, 10,000, and 20,000mg/m(3). These exposure durations and levels substantially exceed typical consumer exposure during refueling (<1-7mg/m(3), 5min). Dose responsive maternal effects were reduced maternal body weight and/or weight change, and/or reduced food consumption. No significant malformations were seen in any study. Developmental effects occurred at 20,000mg/m(3) of G/TAME (reduced fetal body weight, increased incidence of stunted fetuses), G/TBA (reduced fetal body weight, increased skeletal variants) and G/DIPE (reduced fetal weight) resulting in developmental NOAEL of 10,000mg/m(3) for these materials. Developmental NOAELs for other materials were 20,000mg/m(3) as no developmental toxicity was induced in those studies. Developmental NOAELs were equal to or greater than the concurrent maternal NOAELs which ranged from 2000 to 20,000mg/m(3). There were no clear cut differences in developmental toxicity between vapors of gasoline and gasoline blended with the ether or alcohol oxygenates.
Chevron Energy Technology Company, 6001 Bollinger Canyon Road, San Ramon, CA 94583, United States. Electronic address: LRoberts@chevron.com.
Linda G
LG
Roberts
American Petroleum Institute, 20360 Clover Field Terrace, Potomac Falls, VA 20165, United States. Electronic address: tmgray@reagan.com.
Thomas M
TM
Gray
ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc., 1545 US Highway 22, East Annandale, NJ 08801-3059, United States. Electronic address: hermit55@prodigy.net.
Gary W
GW
Trimmer
Huntingdon Life Sciences, Princeton Research Center, P.O. Box 2360, 100 Mettlers Road, East Millstone, NJ 08875-2360, United States. Electronic address: parkerr@princeton.huntingdon.com.
Robert M
RM
Parker
Murray & Associates, 5529 Perugia Circle, San Jose, CA 95138, United States. Electronic address: jmurray2@sbcglobal.net.
F Jay
FJ
Murray
C&C Consulting in Toxicology, 1950 Briarcliff Ave, Meadowbrook, PA 19046, United States. Electronic address: castox@comcast.net.
Ceinwen A
CA
Schreiner
Phillips 66, 5901 Woodland Road, Bartlesville, OK 74006, United States. Electronic address: okietox@gmail.com.
Charles R
CR
Clark
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D020567:Fetal Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005742:Gasoline / Q000633:toxicity*; D001239:Inhalation; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018675:Toxicity Tests
D000393:Air Pollutants; D005742:Gasoline
Developmental toxicity; Diisopropyl ether (DIPE); Ethanol (EtOH); Ethyl t-butyl ether (ETBE); Evaporative emissions; Fuel oxygenates; Gasoline vapor condensates; Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE); t-Amyl methyl ether (TAME); t-Butyl alcohol (TBA)