Acute toxicosis of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) caused by pyrolysis products from heated polytetrafluoroethylene: microscopic study.

An ultrastructural study was performed on the respiratory system of budgerigars (including 6 controls) which were acutely affected by inhalation of toxic fumes from heated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE pyrolysis products) or had survived fro 24 hours after a sublethal exposure. The controls were exposed to fumes from heated plan aluminum (ie, not coated with PTFE). The microanatomy of lungs of the controls was described and compared with that of lungs of the birds exposed to PTFE pyrolysates. The PTFE pyrolysates caused extensive, severe necrotizing and hemorrhagic pneumonitis. These lesions were associated with amorphous elongate conglomerates of particles which were similar to those isolated on membrane filters from fumes generated from heated PTFE--this supporting the hypothesis that the toxic principle in PTFE pyrolysates is at least, in part, related to generated particulates.