Developmental toxicity evaluation of unleaded gasoline vapor in the rat

To evaluate the potential of unleaded gasoline vapor for developmental toxicity, a sample was prepared by slowly heating API 94-02 (1990 industry average gasoline) and condensing the vapor. The composition of this vapor condensate, which comprises 10.4% by volume of the starting gasoline, is representative of real-world exposure to gasoline vapor encountered at service stations and other occupational settings and consists primarily of volatile short chain (C4-C6) aliphatic hydrocarbons (i.e. paraffins) with small amounts of cycloparaffins and aromatic hydrocarbons. A preliminary study in rats and mice resulted in no developmental toxicity in either species. However, a slight reduction in maternal body weight gain in rats led to the selection of rats for this guideline study. Groups of pregnant rats (n = 24/group) were exposed to unleaded gasoline vapor at concentrations of 0, 1000, 3000, or 9000 (75% lower explosive limit) ppm equivalent to 0, 2653, 7960, or 23,900 mg/m3, for 6 h/day on gestation days 6-19. All rats were sacrificed on gestation day 20. No maternal toxicity was observed. Developmentally, there were no differences between treated and control groups in malformations, total variations, resorptions, fetal body weight, or viability. The maternal and developmental NOAEL is 9000 ppm. Under conditions of this study, unleaded gasoline vapors did not produce evidence of developmental toxicity.