CYTOGENETIC EFFECTS OF PHOSPHINE INHALATION BY RODENTS .1. ACUTE 6-HOUR EXPOSURE OF MICE

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.