Micronuclei induction by 13 week-inhalation of 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane in Sprague-Dawley rats.

To investigate the genotoxic effect of l,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane (HCFC-141b), which was currently widely used as a cleaning solvent in the electronic parts industry and suggested as a potential reproductive effector, in vivo micronucleus tests were performed. Groups of 10 male and 10 female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed, by inhalation (6h/day, 5 days/week) to the vapors of HCFC-141b for 13 weeks using whole body exposure chambers at the concentrations of 0 (control), 1500, 3000, and 6000 ppm. The micronuclei frequencies among the polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) and the percentage of polychromatic erythrocytes among the total number of erythrocytes were counted in the bone marrow of rats, and body weights, organ weights, histopathology, clinical chemistry and hematologic changes were also observed. Statistically significant and dose-dependant increases were found in the micronuclei frequencies in the male rats (P<0.01), yet not in the females. The decreases in the percentage of polychromatic erythrocytes among the total number of erythrocytes were also statistically significant (P<0.05) in both sexes of the high concentration groups. However, no exposure-related effects of toxicological significance were noted with respect to organ weights, clinical chemistry and histopathology. Apart from it, only slightly decreased mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) was noted in the females of 6000 ppm group (P<0.05). These results suggest that HCFC 141b can induce the genetic effects, micronuclei in the rat bone marrows, especially in males, at earlier stages before the other general clinical and histopathologic changes occur if with more prolonged exposure.