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NEUROTOXICITY EVALUATION OF DIBUTYLTIN IN ADULT RATS.
Citation:
MOSER, V. C., P. PHILLIPS, AND K. MCDANIEL. NEUROTOXICITY EVALUATION OF DIBUTYLTIN IN ADULT RATS. Presented at Society of Toxicology, San Diego, CA, March 05 - 09, 2006.
Description:
Dibutyltin (DBT) is widely used as a stabilizer in products such as PVC piping and food
wrapping, and has been detected in the environment (water samples, house dust) as well as
human liver samples. Animal studies, as well as in vitro systems, have suggested neurotoxic,
developmental, and immune effects at relatively high exposure levels. To test the hypothesis that
neurotoxicity is produced by repeated DBT exposure, adult male and female Sprague-Dawley
rats were exposed to DBT in the drinking water (0, 10, 25, 50 ppm) for 4 weeks. Calculated
DBT intake was 1.0, 2.3, and 4.3 mg/kg/day for males, and 1.2, 2.8, and 4.3 mg/kg/day for
females. Water consumption was decreased at all concentrations, but was statistically significant
mostly at the high concentration only; however, body weight gain was not significantly altered.
Neurobehavioral evaluations using a functional observational battery (FOB) and motor activity
were conducted before, midway through, and at the end of exposure. After exposure ended, rats
were tested for cognitive function using a Morris water maze, with daily training conducted for
two weeks, followed by another FOB and motor activity evaluation. No meaningful changes
were observed in any of the FOB measures, nor was motor activity altered at any time. Spatial
learning as well as memory (probe test with platform removed) was not altered. Thus, DBT did
not produce any neurological or cognitive effects up to levels that decreased fluid consumption.
This is an abstract of a proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect US EPA policy.