Exposure of rats to high concentrations of 1,1,1-trichloroethane and its effects on brain lipid and fatty acid composition.

Exposure of rats to 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TRI) (1200 p.p.m.) for 30 days resulted in changes in the fatty acid pattern of the brain ethanolamine phosphoglyceride. A decrease was observed in stearic acid (18:0) and arachidonic acid (20:4), while the 22-carbon (n-3) fatty acids were increased. These changes in the fatty acid pattern were similar to that observed previously in the rat for another solvent, perchloroethylene, at a lower exposure concentration (320 p.p.m). Both these solvents are little metabolised and it seems that a common mechanism exists whereby these solvents alter the fatty acid pattern of brain phospholipid upon exposure. The relatively low uptake of TRI makes a high exposure level (1200 p.p.m.) necessary to attain a blood concentration high enough for the changes to appear.