Carcinogenicity study of trichloroethylene by longterm inhalation in three animal species.

Pure trichloroethylene (tri), stabilized by an amine base, was administered by inhalation at 0, 100, and 500 ppm for 6 h/day, 5 days/week, for 18 months to mice, rats and Syrian hamsters of both sexes. No significant increase in tumor formation was observed in any species or dosing group, except in malignant lymphomas, which were increased in female mice in the following incidence rates: 9/29 (controls), 17/30 (100 ppm), and 18/28 (500 ppm). Whether or not this high occurrence of lymphomas, which is peculiar to this strain of mice (NMRI) has any relationship to tri-exposure, cannot be decided upon by the present experiment. It is concluded that from these findings no indication for a carcinogenic potential of pure trichloroethylene can be deduced.