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Abstract
A custom designed vapour generation-exposure chamber assembly and head space analysis method were evaluated for use in pharmacokinetic investigations. The predicted m-xylene concentration was within 1% of the average value measured by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) in the glass exposure chamber during controlled vapourization of m-xylene. The concentration variability was ± 13% and 4% respectively, with and without rats in the chamber. Blood and tissue samples from male, Sprague Dawley rats exposed to 1100 ppm of xylene, were analyzed by means of a static head space (HS)-GC analysis method. The average m-xylene level in the blood of exposed animals was ca. 5000 ng/mL. m-Xylene was detected in brain, kidney, skin, fat and liver. The analytical precision for duplicate samples was < ± 5% for all tissues, except liver and skin. The feasibility of detection of m-xylene in unhomogenized tissue by HS-GC analysis was demonstrated.