Conditioned taste aversion induced by inhalation exposure to methyl bromide in rats

The toxic effect of methyl bromide vapor was assessed by a conditioned taste aversion regime. Rats kept under a water deprivation schedule for 7 days, were permitted access to 0.3% (w/v) sodium saccharin, and were exposed to methyl bromide at 0, 25, 50, and 100 ppm for 4 h. 3 days after the exposure, saccharin preference tests were carried out, revealing dose-dependent saccharin aversion in the exposure group. This result suggests that the conditioned taste aversion method is effective for assessing the toxicity of gaseous substances such as methyl bromide.