Tetrachloromethane metabolism in vivo under normoxia and hypoxia. Biochemical and histopathological effects relative to alkane exhalation.

About 250 mumol/kg tetrachloromethane is metabolized by male Sprague-Dawley rats receiving a dose of 500 mumol/kg by inhalation. Determination of enzyme activities and histopathological assessment show that various parameters reflecting cellular injury do not differ for the same amount of tetrachloromethane metabolized under different oxygen partial pressures. On the other hand, the amounts of ethane and pentane exhaled under hypoxic conditions are greater than under normoxia. The previously reported differences in the toxicity of tetrachloromethane upon exposure under normoxia or hypoxia seem to be mainly due to the different amounts of tetrachloromethane metabolized under both conditions.