Ethyl Chloride: 11-Day Continuous Exposure Inhalation Toxicity Study in B6C3F1 Mice

Groups of seven B6C3FI mice per sex were exposed for 23 hr/dayto 0, 250, 1250, or 5000 ppm ethyl chlonde (Eta) for 11 consecutivedays to evaluate the potential toxicity of EtCl under near-continuousexposure conditions. On the day following the last exposure,a neurobehavioral observation battery was performed, sampleswere obtained for clinical chemistry and hematology, and necropsieswere conducted. Histopathologic examination was subsequentlyperformed. The only observed effects were increased relativeliver weights and a slight increase in hepatocellular vacuolation(glycogen or fat) in 5000 ppm-exposed mice. Exposures to Etawere well tolerated despite the unusually long exposure periods.