No toxicological effects on acute and repeated oral gavage doses of single-wall or multi-wall carbon nanotube in rats

J Toxicol Sci. 2012;37(3):463-74. doi: 10.2131/jts.37.463.

Abstract

Three female Crl:CD(SD) rats/group were dosed with single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) or multi wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) four times by gavage at a total of 50 mg/kg bw or 200 mg/kg bw (four equally divided doses at one-hour intervals). Acute oral doses of SWCNT and MWCNT caused neither death nor toxicological effects, and thus the oral LD<inf>50 </inf>values for SWCNT and MWCNT were considered to be greater than 50 mg/kg bw and 200 mg/kg bw, in rats respectively. Five or ten Crl:CD(SD) rats/sex were dosed with SWCNT once daily by gavage at a dose of 0 (control), 0.125, 1.25 or 12.5 mg/kg bw/day for 28 days with a 14-day recovery period (0 and 12.5 mg/kg bw/day groups). Six or twelve Crl:CD(SD) rats/sex were dosed with MWCNT once daily by gavage at a dose of 0 (control), 0.5, 5.0 or 50 mg/kg bw/day for 28 days with a 14-day recovery period (0 and 50 mg/kg bw/day groups). Based on no toxicological effects, the no observed adverse effect levels (NOAELs) of repeated dose toxicity of SWCNT and MWCNT were considered to be 12.5 mg/kg bw/day and 50 mg/kg bw/day (the highest dose tested), respectively. It was suggested that SWCNT and MWCNT dosed by gavage reached the gastro-intestinal tract as agglomerates and were mostly excreted via feces.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Male
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / toxicity*
  • No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level
  • Particle Size
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Toxicity Tests, Acute / methods*

Substances

  • Nanotubes, Carbon