Toxicity tests toxicant

Dutton, R.J. Bitton, G. Koopman, B. Enzyme biosynthesis versus enzyme activity as a basis for microbial toxicity testing. Toxic. Assess. 1988, 3, 245 -253. 

Biological test in which the severity of the toxic effect caused by a test material is measured by the response of living organisms. Synonyms biotest, toxicity test, toxicity assay. Volume 2(8). 

The toxicity of some flame-retardant components and of their combustion gases is a particular concern for flame-retardant finishes, especially if based on halogens and several heavy metals. Therefore, aircraft textile equipment has to fulfil special requirements, for example, smoke density and toxicity tests. Toxicity problems include ... 

For the sample search on aquatic toxicity of atrazine, 1459 results were found. An excerpt on the daphnia acute aquatic toxicity tests (EC50. LC.50) is prc.scnted in Figure 5-33. 

Tests with animals have revealed that dioxin is one of the most toxic substances known Toward mice it IS about 2000 times more toxic than strychnine and about 150 000 times more toxic than sodium cyanide Fortunately however available evidence in dicates that humans are far more resistant to dioxin than are test animals and so far there have been no human fatalities directly attributable to dioxin The most prominent short term symptom seen so far has been a severe skin disorder known as chloracne Yet to be determined is the answer to the question of... 

Interest ia the toxicity of aldehydes has focused primarily on specific compounds, particularly formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acroleia (13). Litde evidence exists to suggest that occupational levels of exposure to aldehydes would result ia mutations, although some aldehydes are clearly mutagenic ia some test systems. There are, however, acute effects of aldehydes. 

CAL 133. California Technical Bulletin 133 is a test of the fire hazard associated with upholstered furniture (22). The test is carried out by igniting a standard fire source directiy on the piece of furniture being tested. In the most recent version of the test, the fire source is a gas flame. Smoke, heat, and toxic gas emissions are measured dufing the test. A related test, BS 5852, uses various wooden cribs as the fire source (23). 

A particular mode of neurotoxicity was discovered for tricresyl phosphate that correlated with the presence of the o-cresyl isomer (or certain other specific aLkylphenyl isomers) in the triaryl phosphates. Many details of the chemistry and biochemistry of the toxic process have been elucidated (139,140,143—146). The use of low ortho-content cresols has become the accepted practice in industrial production of tricresyl phosphate. Standard in vivo tests, usually conducted with chickens sensitive to this mode of toxicity, have been developed for premarket testing of new or modified triaryl phosphates. As of 1992, the EPA called for extensive new toxicity and environmental data on this group of products (147). The Vederal e ster AoQ xm. ci. calling for this... 

Laboratory experiments using rodents, or the use of gas analysis, tend to be confused by the dominant variable of fuel—air ratio as well as important effects of burning configuration, heat input, equipment design, and toxicity criteria used, ie, death vs incapacitation, time to death, lethal concentration, etc (154,155). Some comparisons of polyurethane foam combustion toxicity with and without phosphoms flame retardants show no consistent positive or negative effect. Moreover, data from small-scale tests have doubtful relevance to real fine ha2ards. 

Environmental Considerations. The phosphate flame retardants, plasticizers, and functional fluids have come under intense environmental scmtiny. Results pubUshed to date on acute toxicity to aquatic algae, invertebrates, and fish indicate substantial differences between the various aryl phosphates (159—162). The EPA has summarized this data as well as the apparent need for additional testing (147). 

H. K. Hasegawa, Characterisation and Toxicity of Smoke, Pubhcation STP 1082, American Association for Testing and Matedals, Philadelphia, Pa., 1990. 

In the area of municipal and iadustrial wastewater treatment, the principal environmental issue is the toxicity of residual flocculating agents ia the effluent. Laboratory studies have shown that cationic polymers are toxic to fish because of the iateraction of these polymers with giU. membranes. Nonionic and anionic polymers show no toxicity (82,83). Other studies have shown that ia natural systems the suspended inorganic matter and humic substances substantially reduce the toxicity of added cationic polymer, and the polymers have been used successfully ia fish hatcheries (84—86). Based on these results, the EPA has added a protocol for testing these polymers for toxicity toward fish ia the presence of humic acids (87). The addition of anionic polymers to effluent streams containing cationic polymers to reduce their toxicity has been mentioned ia the patent Hterature (83). 

The toxicity of these fluoroaluminates is mainly as inorganic fluorides. The ACGIH adopted (1992—1993) values for fluorides as F is TLV 2.5 mg/m. The oral toxicity in laboratory animal tests is reported to be LD q rat 2.15 mg/kg (41). Because of the fine nature of the products they can also be sources of chronic toxicity effects as dusts. 

Health and Safety Factors. Boron trifluoride is primarily a pulmonary irritant. The toxicity of the gas to humans has not been reported (58), but laboratory tests on animals gave results ranging from an increased pneumonitis to death. The TLV is 1 ppm (59,60). Inhalation toxicity studies in rats have shown that exposure to BF at 17 mg/m resulted in renal toxicity, whereas exposure at 6 mg/m did not result in a toxic response (61). Prolonged inhalation produced dental fluorosis (62). High concentrations bum the skin similarly to acids such as HBF and, if the skin is subject to prolonged exposure, the treatment should be the same as for fluoride exposure and hypocalcemia. No chronic effects have been observed in workers exposed to small quantities of the gas at frequent intervals over a period of years. 

The inhalation toxicity of NF on animals has been studied extensively (37—40). These studies provide the basis of emergency exposure limits (EEL) that have been proposed for NE. The NAS—NRC Committee on Toxicology recommends that the EEL for NE be 10 min at 2250 ppm, 30 min at 750 ppm, and 60 min at 375 ppm. Gaseous NE is considered to be innocuous to the skin and a minor irritant to the eyes and mucous membranes. NE does give a weakly positive metabotically activated Ames test but only at concentrations greater than 2% or 10 times the 10 minute EEL. 

Experimentation with test animals and laboratory and plant experience indicate that the fluorophosphoric acids are less toxic and dangerous than hydrogen fluoride (58). However, they contain, or can hydrolyze to, hydrofluoric acid and must be treated with the same care as hydrofluoric acid. Rubber gloves and face shields are essential for all work with these acids, and full mbber dress is necessary for handling larger quantities. The fumes from these acids contain HF. 

Toxicity. Sodium fluoroacetate is one of the most effective all-purpose rodenticides known (18). It is highly toxic to all species of rats tested and can be used either in water solution or in bait preparations. Its absence of objectionable taste and odor and its delayed effects lead to its excellent acceptance by rodents. It is nonvolatile, chemically stable, and not toxic or irritating to the unbroken skin of workers. Rats do not appear to develop any significant tolerance to this compound from nonlethal doses. However, it is extremely dangerous to humans, to common household pets, and to farm animals, and should only be used by experienced personnel. The rodent carcasses should be collected and destroyed since they remain poisonous for a long period of time to any animal that eats them. 

Exposure to PTFE can arise from ingestion, skin contact, or inhalation. The polymer has no irritating effect to the skin, and test animals fed with the sintered polymer have not shown adverse reactions. Dust generated by grinding the resin also has no effect on test animals. Formation of toxic products is unlikely. Only the heated polymer is a source of a possible health hazard (120). 

Acute inhalation exposure of rats to 200,000 ppm VF for 30 minutes or more produced weak anaesthesia and no deaths (90). In rats VF is only slightly metabolized at a rate of one-fifth that of vinyl chloride (91—95). An extensive program of toxicity testing of vinyl fluoride is ia progress (96,97). 

Toxicity. The products of combustioa have beea studied for a number of plastic foams (257). As with other organics the primary products of combustion are most often carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide with smaller amounts of many other species depending on product composition and test conditions. 

Most hafnium compounds requite no special safety precautions because hafnium is nontoxic under normal exposure. Acidic compounds such as hafnium tetrachloride hydroly2e easily to form strongly acidic solutions and to release hydrogen chloride fumes, and these compounds must be handled properly. Whereas laboratory tests in which soluble hafnium compounds were injected into animals did show toxicity, feeding test results indicated essentially no toxicity when hafnium compounds were taken orally (33,34). 

C. S. Helling and J. Dragun, in Test Protocolsfor Environmental Fate andMovement of Toxicants, Proc. Symp. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chemists, 94th Ann. 

Vegetable and seed oils as well as some synthetic base stocks present a new class of biodegradable base stocks. These fluids (10) have excellent biodegradation properties as measured by criteria developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). OECD 301 and EPA 560/6-82-003 measure the biodegradation of lubricants. These tests were developed to measure the degradation of oil, especially two-cycle ok, on waterways. Aquatic toxicity criteria toward fish is also found to be acceptable for this class of fluids as measured by EPA 560/6-82-002 and OECD 203 1-12. 

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