| Abstract |
The acute toxicity of TNT, RDX, LAP (1.6 TNT/1.0 RDX), and/or LAP(I) (photolyzed LAP: 0.032 TNT/1.0 RDX, 10% undegraded RDX) was determined in mammalian species. In male and female rats, respectively, the acute oral LD50s were: TNT, 1320 and 794 mg/kg; RDX, 71 and about 70 mg/kg; and LAP, 574 and 594 mg/kg or lower, depending on particle size. In male and female mice, respectively, the LD50s were: TNT, 660 mg/kg (both sexes); RDX, < 75 and 86 mg/kg; and LAP947 and 1131 mg/kg. LAP(I) was examined in mice only; the acute oral LD50s in males and females were: 585 and 684 mg/kg, respectively. LAP and LAP(I) produced conjunctivitis, iritis, and/or corneal opacity in rabbit eyes; the irritation was not totally reversed in unwashed eyes after 7 days and longer. In in vitro microbial assays using microsomal activation (Ames Test), TNT was mutagenic. LAP was also mutagenic, and photolysis increased its mutagenicity. In contrast, in vivo cytogenetics studies on rat bone marrow extracts failed to detect an effect of either TNT or LAP on somatic cells. The effects of repeated oral administration of TNT and of LAP were determined in 90-day studies in dogs, rats, and mice. Observations common to the three species treated with either test material were depressed body weight and/or weight gain and food intake, mild to moderate hemolytic anemia, enlarged spleens. |
