INHALATION TOXICOLOGY: VIII. ESTABLISHING HEAT TOLERANCE LIMITS FOR RATS AND MICE SUBJECTED TO ACUTE EXPOSURES TO ELEVATED AIR TEMPERATURES

Experimental animal subjects are used most commonly to assess the toxicity of thermal decomposition products (smoke) from burning materials. Nascent smoke is obviously quite hot, therefore the design of smoke toxicity assay systems must provide for adequate cooling of the gases prior to exposure of the animals. This research has addressed the question of how much cooling is required. Rats and mice were exposed to elevated air temperatures over the range of 38 deg C to 110 deg C. The exposure duration required to produce hyperthermic collapse (physical incapacitation) was measured for each temperature. A graph of time-to-collapse as a function of exposure temperature was constructed for each species and statistically derived equations were fit to each data set. Times-to-collapse ranged from 60 minutes at 40 deg C to less than 4 minutes at 110 deg C for the rat. For the mouse, they ranged from approximately 60 minutes at 40 deg C to 2.5 minutes at 90 deg C. The significance of these findings as they relate to smoke toxicity testing is discussed.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 12 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00960825
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: DOT/FAA/AM-86/8
  • Files: TRIS, USDOT
  • Created Date: Jul 29 2003 12:00AM