2-Isocyanatoethyl methacrylate--an inhalation dominant lethal study in the male Sprague-Dawley rat

2-Isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (IEM), a monomer, has been developed for use as a component in coating materials. The dominant lethal test was used to evaluate the mutagenic potential of IEM in rats. In this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 0, 25, 80, or 250 ppb of IEM by inhalation for 6 hr/day for 10 weeks (one spermatogenic cycle). After the exposure period, the males were bred with untreated virgin female rats. At approximately mid-gestation, the females were sacrificed and the number of corpora lutea, implantations, and resorptions were recorded. Statistical analysis of these data indicated that the treated males were comparable to control males in all reproductive parameters evaluated. IEM did not affect male fertility or produce dominant lethal mutations in male rats following ten weeks of inhalation exposure to 25, 80 or 250 ppb IEM.