[Experimental studies of toxic effects of 1,3,5-trioxane and 1,3-dioxolane. I. Acute toxic effect]

The problems arising from occupational exposure to 1,2,3-trioxane and 1,3-dioxolane made it necessary to carry out complex studies on that issue. This paper is focussed on systemic and local effects of those compounds. The studies involved: 1) Determination of acute systemic toxic effects following intragastric administration of the test compounds (DL50) and inhalatory exposure (CL50) using the Litchfield and Wilcoxon method as well as determination of medium lethal dose (MDLder) following dermal administration of the test compounds after Deichmann and Le Blanca, 2) Determination of the intensity of acute primarily irritating effects upon skin and eye using the Draize et al method, as well as irritating effects under repeated exposure, 3) Determination of allergic effects using the Magnusson and Kligman method, as modified by B. Krysiak. The DL50 and CL50 values for 1,3,5-trioxane and 1,3-dioxolane come to 8.5 g/kg m.c. and 5.8 g/kg m.c. respectively, and CL50 greater than 26000 mg/m3 and 87000 mg/m3 of air. Of those two compounds only 1,3-dioxolane may be absorbed through intact skin. However, the medium lethal dose MDLder coming to 15 g/kg b.w. in the rabbit implies that the rate of skin absorption for that compound is too low to induce a severe poisoning. Locally, the compounds exhibit irritating effects upon the eyeball and eye protective apparatus. As regards the irritating effectus upon skin, only 1,3-dioxolane induces skin irritation under repeated exposure. Under experimental conditions, no dermatitis related to oversensitivity was found.