Investigations on the carcinogenic burden by air pollution in man. XIV. Effects of automobile exhaust condensate on the Syrian golden hamster lung.

Syrian golden hamsters were intratracheally instilled with 5 or 2.5 mg/animal of automobile exhaust condensate at two weekly intervals. Moribund animals were fixed by intravascular perfusion. Samples of lobar and segmental bronchi, as well as of peripheral lung tissue, were taken for electron microscopical examination. In addition, all organs were examined histologically. After a survival time of 30 to 60 weeks all animals developed multiple pulmonary adenomas, thus indicating a marked carcinogenic effect of automobile exhaust condensate.