Yang R S, Witt K L, Alden C J, Cockerham L G
Department of Environmental Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523, USA.
Rev Environ Contam Toxicol. 1995;142:65-85. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4612-4252-9_3.
Methyl bromide is widely used as an insecticidal fumigant in food supplies, warehouses, barges, buildings, and furniture. Its popularity as a fumigant is largely attributable to its high toxicity to many pests, the variety of settings in which it can be applied, its ability to penetrate the fumigated substances, and its rapid dissipation following application. Because of its frequent use around humans and human-related activities and its high acute toxicity, methyl bromide-related fatal accidents have occurred. The primary route for human exposure to methyl bromide is inhalation. In California, the most frequent cause of death from methyl bromide exposure in recent years has been unauthorized entry into structures under fumigation. The most frequently reported lesions included pulmonary edema, congestion, and hemorrhage. In recent years, a great deal of effort has been given to the characterization of the toxicity of methyl bromide because of its commercial value and its direct and indirect economic importance. Methyl bromide is acutely very toxic. Subchronically and chronically, the principal target site for methyl bromide appears to be the central nervous system. However, there was no evidence for carcinogenic activity of methyl bromide following the normal environmental exposure routes of inhalation or oral intake through residue on foods. Methyl bromide is clearly genotoxic in vitro and in vivo, as evidenced by the positive results from various tests. The mechanism of toxicity for methyl bromide is currently uncertain, although its alkylating property as well as the possibility of forming a reactive intermediate through metabolic transformation remain attractive hypotheses.
溴甲烷作为一种杀虫剂熏蒸剂，广泛应用于食品供应、仓库、驳船、建筑物和家具等领域。它作为熏蒸剂广受欢迎，主要归因于其对许多害虫具有高毒性、可应用的环境多样、能够穿透被熏蒸的物质以及施用后能迅速消散。由于其常在人类周围及与人类相关的活动中使用，且具有高急性毒性，已发生多起与溴甲烷相关的致命事故。人类接触溴甲烷的主要途径是吸入。在加利福尼亚州，近年来因接触溴甲烷致死的最常见原因是未经授权进入正在熏蒸的建筑物。最常报告的损伤包括肺水肿、充血和出血。近年来，由于溴甲烷的商业价值及其直接和间接的经济重要性，人们对其毒性特征进行了大量研究。溴甲烷具有极高的急性毒性。在亚慢性和慢性情况下，溴甲烷的主要靶器官似乎是中枢神经系统。然而，在通过吸入或食用食物中残留的溴甲烷进行正常环境暴露后，没有证据表明其具有致癌活性。溴甲烷在体外和体内均具有明显的遗传毒性，各种测试的阳性结果证明了这一点。尽管其烷基化特性以及通过代谢转化形成反应性中间体的可能性仍然是有吸引力的假设，但目前溴甲烷的毒性机制尚不确定。
