Human and Experimental Toxicology

Newton, D. ;Pickford, C.J. ;Chamberlain, A.C. ;Sherlock, J.C. ;Hislop, J.S.

doi: 10.1177/096032719201100101pmid: 1354457

1 Nine volunteers ingested high levels of lead in beer over a 28-d period. The increase in blood lead varied by a factor of about two. There was a similar two-fold variability in the whole-body uptake (mean 14%) of a single oral dose of the short-lived tracer 203Pb. 2 The average elevations led to estimates of the potential increment from consumption of alcoholic beverages which accord broadly with epidemiological observation and which, if relevant to intakes of lead in table wine, raise the possibility of considerably elevated levels in the blood of avid consumers. 3 Rate constants inferred for removal of stable lead from blood were lower than reported following intake of the tracer, reflecting feedback of lead from other compartments.

Institóris, L. ;Siroki, Olga ;Tóth, S. ;Dési, I.

doi: 10.1177/096032719201100102pmid: 1354454

The effects of a single large and repeated small doses of MPT-IP (the industrial product used to produce Wofatox EC 50) containing 60% methylparathion, on the humoral and cellular immunoreactivity of CFLP mice were investigated. Administration of a single LD50/2 dose 3 d prior to immunization caused a 40% increase in the number of splenic PFC on the 5th day but no significant increase in serum antibody titre on the 7th day after immunization. Treatment for 4 weeks with an LD50/40 dose resulted in a 100% increase in splenic PFC, also not associated with a change in serum antibody titre. Under the same conditions and LD50/20 dose had no effect on these parameters. Neither the single large nor the repeated small doses had any effect on the intensity or time course of a DTH reaction. The results show that MPT-IP has an immunotoxic potential in mice under certain experimental conditions.

Reigner, Bruno G. ;Bois, Frédéric Y. ;Tozer, Thomas N.

doi: 10.1177/096032719201100103pmid: 1354455

1 Pentachlorophenol (PeCP), a widely-used wood preservative, is a ubiquitous compound which has been found to be carcinogenic in mice. The objective of this study is to assess the average net daily intake of PeCP in cohorts of individuals who are: (1) not specifically exposed to PeCP, (2) residents of homes made of PeCP-treated logs and (3) occupationally exposed to PeCP. 2 The average net daily intake was calculated using a basic pharmacokinetic principle, the clearance (CL) concept: net daily intake equals CL (in 1 d-1) times the average steady-state concentration of PeCP in plasma (Css). Css values reported in the literature were used for the calculations. 3 Because the two definitive studies on PeCP toxicokinetics in humans have given conflicting results, kinetic information from human exposure to PeCP was reviewed. Plasma clearance was estimated from retrospective analysis of urine and plasma concentrations measured in people after long-term exposure to PeCP. An overall clearance of 0.425 1 d-1 was obtained. 4 In groups of individuals who are not specifically exposed to PeCP, net daily intake estimated in eight countries varied from 5 μg (Nigeria) to 37 μg (The Netherlands). Net intake was between 51 μg d-1 and 157 μg d-1 in residents of homes made of PeCP-treated logs. In individuals occupationally exposed to PeCP, net daily intake varied widely (from 35 μg to about 24 000 μg) depending on the type of work.

Minami, Masayasu ;Katsumata, Masao ;Miyake, Kazumasa ;Inagaki, Hirofumi ;Fan, Xiao-Hui ;Kubota, Hideo ;Yamano, Yoko ;Kimura, Osamu

doi: 10.1177/096032719201100104pmid: 1354456

A housewife cleaned toilet porcelain connected directly to a sewage storage tank with a mixture of cleaning agents; sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) solutions. She complained of insomnia on the night after cleaning and suffered from severe metabolic acidosis with extremely low blood pH, PCO2 and bicarbonate values. She recovered from the acidosis after bicarbonate transfusion, plasmapheresis and plasma exchange. Permanent blindness ensued, however, from the third day after the event. These clinical symptoms suggested that the toxic substances responsible were chloramine and methyl chloride. Their generation was confirmed by in-vitro experiments, mixing NaOCl, HCl and pooled urine from normal people. In the simulation, the methyl chloride level far exceeded (100 000 ppm) the maximal allowable concentration recommended (ca 400 ppm) by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Chloramine's toxic actions were confirmed using purified enzyme assay, and the inhibition of carbonic anhydrase and aldehyde dehydrogenase and the enhancement of superoxide dismutase activity were confirmed in neutral pH. The patient's clinical symptoms suggested that insomnia and permanent blindness seemed to be partly ascribable to chronic repetitive exposure to methyl chloride; catching a cold, drug intake and alcohol intake, in addition, precipitated the patient's visual loss. The possibility of this kind of intoxication with such a mixture of agents may lie latent in any situation where sewage or garbage are exposed to the open air.

Murgatroyd, L.B. ;Pickford, R.J. ;Smith, I.K. ;Wilson, I.D. ;Middleton, B.J.

doi: 10.1177/096032719201100105pmid: 1354458

1 Male albino rats were dosed intravenously with either 0.9% saline or cephaloridine in saline at doses of 650, 750 or 950 mg kg-1 d-1 for 7 d. 2 Urine analysis on day 3, after two doses of cephaloridine showed dose-related increases in glucose, total protein, N-acetyl β-D-glucosaminidase, y-glutamyltranspeptidase, alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase. 1H-NMR spectroscopy showed corresponding disturbed profiles of products of intermediary metabolism indicative of a disruption of renal function. 3 By day 6, after five doses of cephaloridine, analysis by both 1H-NMR and conventional methods showed that all indices had returned to normal. 1H-NMR was demonstrated to provide useful complementary information to conventional techniques on the time course of the onset of the nephrotoxicity and the recovery phase, and was at least as sensitive as conventional urine analysis.

Nair, Amit ;Dureja, P. ;Pillai, M.K.K.

doi: 10.1177/096032719201100106pmid: 1354459

1 Aldrin and dieldrin residues were monitored in the fat, breast milk and blood serum from female residents of Delhi. 2 The average aldrin and dieldrin contents were 0.048 and 0.099 ppb in adipose tissue, 0.003 and 0.060 ppb in breast milk and 0.004 and 0.002 ppb in blood serum, respectively. 3 The older donors contained higher levels of aldrin and dieldrin in their adipose tissue. 4 Primagravidae contained more of these chemicals in their breast milk. 5 A positive correlation was observed between the aldrin concentration in adipose tissue and breast milk, and that in adipose tissue and blood serum. Similarly, a significant correlation was found between dieldrin in adipose tissue and blood serum. 6 The levels of aldrin and dieldrin were low in samples from residents of Delhi when compared to those in developed countries.

Akintonwa, Alade ;Tunwashe, O.L.

doi: 10.1177/096032719201100107pmid: 1354460

Three patients admitted to the Accident and Emergency Unit of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) after eating a cassava based meal 'Gari' died shortly after admission. The patients vomited and complained of abdominal pain immediately after the meal. They were unconscious with renal failure and died of cardiopulmonary arrest. The cyanide levels in the blood and urine averaged 1.12 and 0.54 mg 1-1, respectively. Cassava contains cyanogenic glycosides which slowly release cyanide and this may have been responsible for the death of these patients. There is an urgent need to establish maximum tolerable levels of cyanide in 'Gari' and other cassava food products.

Kintz, P. ;Mangin, P.

doi: 10.1177/096032719201100108pmid: 1354461

A fatal case involving the suicidal ingestion of fenfluramine is presented. The drug was quantified using gas chromatography. The blood concentration of fenfluramine was 7.46 mg 1-1. Chronic use of fenfluramine was clearly demontrated by the presence of drug in hair at 14.1 ng mg-1.

Suzuki, T. ;Hongo, T. ;Matsuo, N. ;Imai, H. ;Nakazawa, M. ;Abe, T. ;Yamamura, Y. ;Yoshida, M. ;Aoyama, H.

doi: 10.1177/096032719201100109pmid: 1354462

A woman ingested a dose of sublimate (approximately 0.9 g) in an attempted suicide. She survived and recovered in response to a combination of therapies including chelate (BAL) therapy, plasma exchange, haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Serum inorganic mercury concentration, urinary inorganic mercury excretion and hair inorganic and organic mercury and selenium concentrations, along the length from the scalp to the distal part, were measured. Longitudinal analysis of hair, revealed a peak in inorganic mercury corresponding to the time of mercury ingestion. Organic mercury and selenium in the hair had different patterns of longitudinal variation from that of inorganic mercury. The biological half-life (23.5 d) of serum inorganic mercury levels was in good agreement with values previously reported in the literature.

Ravic, M. ;Johnston, A. ;Turner, P. ;Foley, K. ;Rosenow, D.

doi: 10.1177/096032719201100110pmid: 1354463