Incapacitation and Treatment of Rats Exposed to a Lethal Dose of Sulfuryl Fluoride

Incapacitation and Treatment of Rats Exposed to a Lethal Doseof Sulfuryl Fluoride. NIT-SCHKE, K., D., ALBEE, R.R., MATTSSON,J.L., AND MILLER, R.R. (1986). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 7, 664–670.Rats exposed to 4000 ppm sulfuryl fluoride (VIKANE^* gas fumigant,SO₂F₄) were incapacitated within 45 min and died within severalhours after exposure. Exposure to higher concentrations resultedin a shorter time to incapacitation and death occurred withinminutes. Treatment with calcium gluconate before exposure to4000 ppm SO2F2 for 45 min resulted in 80%survival. However,calcium gluconate did not alleviate SO₂F₄-induced convulsions.Administration of phenobarbital before or after exposure to4000 ppm SO₂F₄ for 45 min effectively reduced the frequencyand severity of convulsions and resulted in survival of allanimals. Exposure of rats to 10,000 ppm SO₂F₄ for 15 min followedby treatment with phenobarbital reduced the frequency of convulsionsand delayed death, but did not prevent death. Diazepam was lesseffective than phenobarbital while diphenylhydantoin had nobeneficial effect and, in fact, made the convulsions more severeand longer in duration. The results of this study indicate thatphenobarbital was effective in ameliorating the acute toxiceffects of an overexposure to SO₂F₄ in rats.