The toxicity of chloroform as determined by single and repeated exposure of laboratory animals

Abstract

The acute and chronic toxicity of chloroform has been studied in laboratory animals. An acute oral LD50 of 2.0 (1.0-3.8) g/kg was determined for male rats. When applied to the skin of rabbits, chloroform produced slight to moderate irritation and delayed healing of abraded sking. Absorption of chloroform through the skin of rabbits was apparent but absorption is not expected to present a practical acute hazard. Liquid chloroform produced slight injury to the eyes of rabbits which took over a week to heal. Repeated 1-hour exposures five days per week for six months to either 85.50 or 25 ppm of the vapor of chloroform resulted in adverse effects in all or some species studied: rats, rabbits, guinea pigs and dogs. The effects at 25 ppm were slight and reversible. Rats exposed to 25 ppm for 4.2 or 1 hour/day for 6 months were not adversely affected. Based on experimental data and published reports on human experience as well as industrial experience with carbon tetrachloride, the authors suggest that when worker's exposures can be expected to be repeated and prolonged, the exposure concentrations be maintained below 25 ppm vapor and that the time weighted average not exceed 10 ppm.

Effects of chloroform and bromodichloromethane on DNA synthesis in male F344 rat kidney.

“…BDCM (but not CHCl3) has been demonstrated to be mutagenic (16). CHCl3 produces site-specific degeneration and necrosis of epithelial cells in the proximal tubules of rodent kidneys (17)(18)(19), although high doses may also induce damage in the distal nephron. BDCM administered by intragastric gavage at a dose of 10 mg/kg for 10 days did not induce any histopathologic changes in the kidneys of male F344 rats (10).…”

Pulmonary Toxicity and Environmental Contamination: Radicals, Electron Transfer, and Protection by Antioxidants

“…In an earlier work, Torkelson et al (1976) showed that chloroform vapor caused adverse effects in a variety of animals, including rats, rabbits, dogs, and guinea pigs. Metabolism of chloroform yields the trichloromethyl radical that forms the peroxyl radical 13 on reaction with oxygen; this reaction product can then serve as precursor to other ROS (Kovacic et al 2002 ).…”

Chloroform (Trichlormethan) [MAK Value Documentation in German language, 1999]

“…Leber und Niere waren gestaut und vergrößert (Tabelle 1; Chu et al 1980). Männlichen F344-Ratten wurden 15; 22,4; 30; 59,7; 89,5; 119,4 Chu et al 1980Torkelson et al 1976Lundberg et al 1986 Nach Schlundsondenapplikation von 34, 180 oder 477 mg Chloroform/kg KG an männliche F344-Ratten und von 34, 238 oder 477 mg Chloroform/kg KG an weibliche B6C3F 1 -Mäuse traten bereits nach einem Tag bei den Ratten der niedrigsten Dosisgruppe Nekrosen im proximalen Tubulus und verstreute zentrilobuläre Focibildung in der Leber auf. Ab 180 mg/kg KG war bei den Ratten der Labelling-Index erhöht und bei 477 mg/kg KG waren in der Niere ausgedehnte Nekrosen.…”

“…In (Torkelson et al 1976). Bei sechs Kaninchen traten nach Applikation von unverdünntem Chloroform schwere Hautirritationen auf (Duprat et al 1976).…”

“…Nach 2 und mehr Tagen trat eitriges Exsudat auf (Torkelson et al 1976). Bei Kaninchen, die unverdünntes Chloroform in die Augen appliziert bekamen, traten schwere Augenirritationen mit Mydriasis und Keratitis, eitrige Hämorrhagie und Hornhautschäden auf.…”