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HEALTH ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT FOR ACRYLONITRILE (REVISED DRAFT)
Citation:
Neal, M., D. Basu, R. Sugatt, R. Hsu, AND J. Santodonato. HEALTH ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT FOR ACRYLONITRILE (REVISED DRAFT). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/8-82/007 (NTIS PB84149152), 1983.
Description:
Acrylonitrile is readily absorbed in animals following ingestion or inhalation, while dermal absorption is poor (1%) compared to that of the lungs. Acrylonitrile is metabolized to cyanide, which is transformed to thiocyanic acid and by cyanoethylation of sulfhydryl groups to S-(2 cyanoethyl) cysteine, followed by elimination of these metabolites in the urine. Symptoms of intoxication in humans include eye and nose irritation, weakness, labored breathing, dizziness, impaired judgement, cyanosis, nausea and convulsions. Similar symptoms have been observed in animals, including death. In experimental animals, there is considerable species variation in susceptibility to acrylonitrile intoxication; the guinea pig is the most resistant and the dog the most sensitive. Many of the pathological changes observed in rats under chronic exposure conditions are believed to be treatment related.