Toxicity Profile for Methyl acrylate (1991)

Abstract

In man, methyl acrylate is an established skin sensitizer and is irritant to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract, whilst in laboratory animals, a moderate sensitizing potential and severe irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, stomach and respiratory tract have been reported. The ester was of moderate acute toxicity in rodents and rabbits treated by the oral, inhalation and dermal routes. Repeated oral administration induced changes in the liver function of rats whereas repeated exposure by the inhalation route affected the lungs, liver, heart, kidneys, spleen and brain of rats, rabbits and guinea-pigs. An abstract noted that there was no evidence of carcinogenicity in long-term inhalation studies in rats. Chromosome damage was induced in mammalian cells in culture and in mice treated by intraperitoneal injection. In general, no mutagenic potential was seen in Ames bacterial tests or in the fruit fly.