Influence of exposure mode on vinyl chloride action

Rats were subjected to 4 h continuous or intermittent exposure to vinyl chloride (VC) at different time-weighted average concentrations (15, 50, 150, 500 and 15,000 mg/m3). Hepatic non-protein sulfhydryl content (NPSH) and excretion of thiodiglycolic acid (TdGA) in urine were determined. VC at concentrations from 50 mg/m3 to 15,000 mg/m3 caused a dose-dependent depression of NPSH, but no difference in the magnitude of this depression induced by continuous of VC was noted. At average concentrations of 50 mg/m3 and 150 mg/m3, the urinary excretion of TdGA under continuous exposure did not differ from that under intermittent exposure, whereas at VC concentrations of 500 mg/m3 and 15,000 mg/m3 it was higher following continuous exposure.