Hematological responses to arsine exposure: quantitation of exposure response in mice.

Hematological responses of mice to arsine exposures for 1 hr at 5 to 26 part per million volume (ppmv) are described. Exposure concentrations ranged from a no-effect level for the endpoints studied (5 ppmv) to a concentration lethal to all mice in 4 days (26 ppmv). Hematocrit values at 24 hr after exposure decreased linearly with increasing arsine concentration in the range 5 to 26 ppmv; the hematocrit of the 26-ppmv group reached 10.5% at 24 hr, compared to 48.4% for control mice. Hematocrits of mice from all surviving groups were at or slightly above control values by 11 days after exposure. Changes in numbers of erythrocytes paralleled changes in hematocrit. Significant increases in circulating reticulocytes occurred at 1 and 5 days after exposure; reticulocyte values returned to control levels by 11 days after exposure. Changes in erythrocyte osmotic fragility were observed in mice exposed to 15 and 26 ppmv arsine.