A COMPARISON OF PHYSIOLOGICALLY-BASED PHARMACOKINETIC MODEL PREDICTIONS AND EXPERIMENTAL-DATA FOR INHALED ETHANOL IN MALE AND FEMALE B6C3F(1) MICE, F344 RATS, AND HUMANS
Gm. Pastino et al., A COMPARISON OF PHYSIOLOGICALLY-BASED PHARMACOKINETIC MODEL PREDICTIONS AND EXPERIMENTAL-DATA FOR INHALED ETHANOL IN MALE AND FEMALE B6C3F(1) MICE, F344 RATS, AND HUMANS, Toxicology and applied pharmacology, 145(1), 1997, pp. 147-157
Ethanol is added to unleaded gasoline as an oxygenate to decrease carb
on monoxide automobile emissions. This introduces inhalation as a new
possible route of environmental exposure to humans. Knowledge of the p
harmacokinetics of inhaled ethanol is critical for adequately assessin
g the dosimetry of this chemical in humans. The purpose of this study
was to characterize the pharmacokinetics of inhaled ethanol in male an
d female B6C3F(1) mice and F344 rats and to develop a physiologically
based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for inhaled ethanol in mice, rats,
and humans. During exposure to 600 ppm for 6 hr, steady-state blood et
hanol concentrations (BEC) were reached within 30 min in rats and with
in 5 min in mice. Maximum BEC ranged from 71 mu M in rats to 105 mu M
in mice. Exposure to 200 ppm ethanol for 30 min resulted in peak BEC o
f approximately 25 mu M in mice and approximately 15 mu M in rats. Pea
k BEC of about 10 mu M were measured following exposure to 50 ppm in f
emale rats and male and female mice, while blood ethanol was undetecta
ble in male rats. No sex-dependent differences in peak BEC at any expo
sure level were observed. Species-dependent differences were found fol
lowing exposure to 200 and 600 ppm. A blood flow limited PBPK model fo
r ethanol inhalation was developed in mice, rats, and humans which acc
ounted for a fractional absorption of ethanol. Compartments for the mo
del included the pulmonary blood and air, brain, liver, fat, and rapid
ly perfused and slowly perfused tissues. The PBPK model accurately sim
ulated BEC in rats and mice at all exposure levels, as well as BEC rep
orted in human males in previously published studies. Simulated peak B
EC in human males following exposure to 50 and 600 ppm ranged from 7 t
o 23 mu M and 86 and 293 mu M, respectively. These results illustrate
that inhalation of ethanol at or above the concentrations expected to
occur upon refueling results in minimal BEC and are unlikely to result
in toxicity. (C) 1997 Academic Press.