Toxicity Profile for Propylene chlorohydrins (1994)

Abstract

Propylene chlorohydrin caused severe eye irritation in rabbits but no skin irritation was observed in a single rabbit. It had a moderate acute oral toxicity in rats, mice and guinea-pigs, and a moderate acute dermal toxicity in rats and rabbits. Repeated oral administration to rats caused increased liver weight. When given orally as a 3:1 mixture of isomers, propylene chlorohydrins caused tissue changes in the bone marrow and spleen, a reduced epididymal weight, a slight increase in abnormal sperm and an altered oestrous cell cycle in rats. In mice given repeated oral doses of the same mixture, liver and spleen changes were reported. Repeated inhalation of the 1-chloro-2-propanol isomer caused lung and liver injury in rats. In reproductive studies involving repeated oral treatment of rats during pregnancy, propylene chlorohydrin was associated with decreased embryo survival. Offspring that were exposed to the 3:1 isomer mixture in utero and during weaning and development showed increased kidney, epididymis and testicular weights, as well as a higher percentage of abnormal sperm. The mixture caused chromosome damage when given orally to rats, and was mutagenic to mammalian cells in culture and to bacteria in Ames tests. The 1-chloro-2-propanol isomer caused chromosome and DNA damage in mammalian cells in culture, and induced DNA damage and mutations in bacterial assays including the Ames test.