Abstract
The toxicological properties of a solvent mixture (Dowclenef EC cleaner) consisting by weight of 75% inhibited 1,1,1-trichloroethane (Chlorothene NU solvent) and 25% tetrachloroethylene were studied on rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs and human subjects. The material was low in oral toxicity, not appreciably irritating to the eyes or skin, not absorbed through the skin to an appreciable extent, and was low in toxicity when inhaled. The animals given seven-hour exposures five days a week for six months to a vapor concentration of 1,000 ppm of the mixture suffered slight changes of a reversible character in the liver and kidney. Rats exposed four hours a day for six months to 1,000 ppm and the animals (4 species) exposed seven hours a day for six months to 500 ppm exhibited no evidence of adverse effects. Human subjects were exposed seven hours a day for up to five days to 500 ppm and subjected to intensive medical study. No adverse effects were detected. The rate of excretion of the solvent via the lungs was studied in both dogs and humans.
