Toxicity studies on trans-1,2-dichloroethylene.

Trans-1,2-dichloroethylene (t-DCE), an industrial solvent, proved to be moderately toxic when studied in small laboratory animals. In adult female rats brief (8 h) and prolonged (8 h daily, on 5 consecutive days a week, for more than 16 weeks) inhalation of 200 ppm--the current TLV/MAC in various countries--produced histological evidence of slight to severe fatty degeneration of the liver lobules and Kupffer cells. In addition marked pulmonary hyperaemia and alveolar septal distention were noted. Fibrous swelling of the cardiac muscle (with striation) just barely maintained) and hyperaemia remained detectable for as long as 14 h post-exposure, but only occurred at 3000 ppm/8 h. A concentration of 1000 ppm/8 h was required to produce a fall in blood albumin, urea nitrogen, alkaline phosphatase activities and erythrocyte count. The cited concentrations failed to produce prenarcotic symptoms of narcosis (central nervous system (CNS) depression). The LD50 was found to be 6.0 ml/kg i.p. and 1.0 ml/kg p.o. for female rats, and 3.2 ml/kg i;p. for female mice. In some of the rats killed in these experiments the organ changes were found to be identical to those observed after inhalation.