TOXICITY EVALUATION OF PETROLEUM BLENDING STREAMS - REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS OF HYDRODESULFURIZED KEROSENE

Hydrodesulfurized kerosine (HDS kerosine), applied dermally, was teste d for reproductive and developmental toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats, using a modified OECD Guideline 421, Reproductive/Developmental Toxici ty Screening Protocol. A preliminary acute dermal irritancy test demon strated that dilution of HDS kerosine in either a light (100 Saybolt u niversal seconds, SUS) or moderate viscosity (360 SUS) LISP mineral oi l reduced irritation of the neat material comparably. Similar dermal a bsorption was observed in vitro for neat HDS kerosine or diluted in ei ther of the mineral oils. HDS kerosine diluted to 494 (60%), 330 (40%) , or 165 (20%) mg/kg/day in Squibb mineral oil (340 SUS) was applied d aily at 1 ml/kg to the shaved backs of rats for 7 wk (premating, matin g to d 19 of gestation) to females and 8 wk to males. Dams and litters were sacrificed on postpartum d 4 and males were sacrificed within th e following week. HDS kerosine produced slight to moderate skin irrita tion at the highest dose in both sexes but no apparent maternal, repro ductive, or developmental toxicity. No clinical signs of toxicity and no effects on body weight food consumption, or absolute organ weights were observed. Relative kidney weights were heavier in male rats at th e high dose. Skin changes were observed microscopically in male rats i n all groups and in females at the high dose. No microscopic changes w ere observed in reproductive organs of parental animals. There were no differences in mean number of corpora lutea, implantation sites, and live pups per litter, and no gross anomalies were observed. Pups born from treated dams showed comparable body weights and weight gains to c ontrols. The viability index on postpartum d 4 was greater than or equ al to 93%. In conclusion, the no observable adverse effect level (NOAE L) for HDS kerosine for reproductive and developmental toxicity in rat s is 494 mg/kg/d.