Ocular irritancy responses to various pHs of acids and bases with and without irrigation.

Acids and alkalies were instilled into the eyes of 2 groups of rabbits; the eyes of one group were washed with tap water 30 s after exposure. Damage seen in washed and unwashed eyes was not always related to pH. Some strong acids with greater acidity than pH 2.5 produced opacities while 0.3% hydrochloric acid with a pH of 1.28 produced no ocular damage. Phenol (5%) and acetic acid (5%) with pHs greater than 2.5 produced damage equivalent to or greater than that produced by equal concentrations (w/v) of the mineral acids. All alkalies with pHs ranging from 11.5 to 13.5 produced opacities and other ocular damage of different degrees depending upon the alkali and its concentration. For example, low concentrations of some alkalies in the pH range from 11.3 to 12.8 produced no ocular changes. The duration of the corneal opacities produced by phenol, 1% sodium hydroxide, acetic acid and anhydrous sodium carbonate and the onset of corneal opacity produced by 5% sulfuric acid, the weak acids and 1% sodium hydroxide were reduced as a result of washing the test eyes 30 s after instillation of the test material. These data suggest that acidity and alkalinity of the test material are not the only factors to be considered in relation to a substances' capacity to produce severe ocular injury. The concentration of the test chemical and its period of contact with the eye prior to washing are also important.

Potential biological hazards of commercially available cleansers for dentures.

Thirteen representative denture cleansers were selected from among more than 32 retail products to be tested for potential hazard and toxicity to humans. Products were subjected to toxicological analyses by using the biological tests (acute oral toxicity in rats, eye and skin irritation in rabbits) specified in the Federal Hazardous Substances Act Regulations. All products were eye irritants with ranges from slight to severe. Three produced a primary skin irritation response (one was corrosive), while five of the denture cleansers produced oral LD50 values below 5 g/kg. Furthermore, a provisional upper gastrointestinal irritancy test used in rabbits indicated that eight of the denture cleansers produced upper gastrointestinal irritation, which was, in general, dose-related.

Renal and testicular damage following dermal application of the flame retardant tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate.

Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (TRIS) was the most popular flame retardant chemical used in children's sleepwear. Acute toxicological data indicated that TRIS was low in toxicity. Since human exposure to TRIS-treated fabrics could occur for long periods of time, a subchronic study was undertaken to obtain additional information. The dermal application of TRIS (neat) at a dose of 1 ml/kg (2.27 g/kg) to the clipped backs of albino rabbits, once each week for 3 months, resulted in testicular atrophy and chronic interstitial nephritis in males. Females did not show any adverse effects.

Detergent toxicity survey.

A survey of over 249 detergent products involving biological testing, chemical analyses, and product label reviews has been conducted from 1971-1976 for determining compliance with the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Test results for 145 detergent products having both chemical and biological data were examined. All of the tested detergents were rabbit eye irritants. Forty-seven per cent were also either rabbit primary skin irritants or corrosives. Eighty-one per cent were either rabbit esophageal test irritants or corrosives, and 80 per cent had rat oral toxicities 5g/kg or less.