DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY STUDY IN SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS BY WHOLE-BODY EXPOSURE TO N,N-DIETHYLETHANOLAMINE VAPOR

Timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed whole body to N,N-diet hylethanolamine vapor for 6 h per day on gestational days (GD) 6-15 at targeted concentrations of 33, 66 or 100 ppm. Dams were sacrificed on GD 21, There was no maternal mortality in any exposed groups, Materna l toxicity observed in the 100 ppm group included dry rales, I educed body weight (9.5%) on GD 15 and reduced weight gain (48%) during expos ure. Suppression of body weight gain was also noted in the 66 ppm grou p during GD 12-15, There were no effects of treatment on gestational p arameters, including pre- and post-implantation loss or sex ratio. Mea n fetal body weights in treated groups were comparable to controls. Th ere was no increase in the incidence of total malformations (external, visceral or skeletal) or individually by category. The incidence of a single developmental variation (hypoplastic bones of the forepaw) in the 100 ppm groups was statistically significantly decreased relative to that of controls. The no-observed-adverse-effect level was 33 ppm f or maternal toxicity but greater than 100 ppm for embryofetal toxicity and teratogenicity. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.