Carcinogenicity of potassium bromate administered orally to F344 rats

The carcinogenicity of potassium bromate, a food additive and a neutralizer in permanent waving, was tested by adding it to the drinking water of F344 rats for 110 weeks. Groups of 53 males and 53 females, each, were given solutions of 500 or 250 ppm of potassium bromate or distilled water. A concentration of 500 ppm markedly inhibited an increase of body weight of male rats. The mean survival time was shortest for males given 500 ppm (88.1 +/- 18.1 wk); the survival times of other groups were 101-104 weeks. The percentage survival in week 104 was relatively high in all groups, and it was 77.4% for males and 66.0% for females in the control group. High incidences of renal cell tumors (in males and females given 500 or 250 ppm) and mesotheliomas of the peritoneum (in males given 500 ppm) were observed. The incidences of these tumors in test groups were significantly higher than those in controls (P less than .001). It was concluded that, when orally administered under the conditions of this experiment, potassium bromate was carcinogenic to F344 rats.