Ad. Kligerman et al., CYTOGENETIC EFFECTS OF PHOSPHINE INHALATION BY RODENTS .1. ACUTE 6-HOUR EXPOSURE OF MICE, Environmental and molecular mutagenesis, 23(3), 1994, pp. 186-189
Phosphine (PH3) is a highly toxic grain fumigant that can be produced
from the reaction of metal phosphides with water. To determine the in
vivo cytogenetic effects of inhalation of PH3, male CD-1 mice were exp
osed to either 0, 5, 10, or 15 ppm target concentrations of PH3 for 6
hr. Twenty hours after the termination of exposure, the spleens of the
mice were removed, macerated, and the splenocytes cultured for analys
es of sister chromatid exchanges, chromosome aberrations, and micronuc
lei in cytochalasin B-induced binucleated cells. In addition, bone mar
row smears were made for the analysis of micronuclei in polychromatic
erythrocytes. No increase in any of the cytogenetic endpoints was foun
d at any of the concentrations examined. The only statistically signif
icant response was a concentration-related slowing of the cell cycle i
n the splenocytes. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.