Hepatic involvement of two chlorinated propenes following repeated oral exposure in the rat

The comparative toxicity of two chlorinated propene isomers, 1,2,3-trichloropropene (TRCP) and 1,1,2,3-tetrachloropropene (TECP), was investigated via subchronic oral administration to rats for 4 weeks. Test groups, each consisting of 5 male and 5 female rats, were exposed to 0, 3, 10, 30, 100 or 300 mg/kg/d TRCP or TECP by gavage. A separate corn oil control group was used for each chloropropene. While all rats of both sexes given 300 mg/kg/d TRCP died, only 1 female exposed to 300 mg/kg TECP died. Mean body weights were reduced in male rats given 100 mg/kg/d TRCP. With TECP, dose-related reductions in mean body weight and food consumption were seen at 100 and 300 mg/kg/d. Moderate fatty changes in the livers of high-dose TRCP-treated rats which died during the first study week were probably related to chloropropene exposure. Treatment-related necrotic/degenerative lesions of the liver were seen in both male and female rats administered 300 mg/kg/d TECP.