The Toxicologic and Oncogenic Potential of JP-4 Jet Fuel Vapors in Rats and Mice: 12-Month Intermittent Inhalation Exposures

Three-hundred Fischer 344 rats and 300 C57BL/6 mice of each sex were divided into three treatment groups and exposed intermittently (6 hr/day, 5 days/week) to JP-4 jet fuel vapors at concentrations of 0, 1000, and 5000 mg/m3 for 12 months. At exposure termination, 10% of the animals were killed and those remaining were held for a 12-month postexposure tumorigenesis observation period. Pathologic findings in male rats revealed treatment-related renal toxicity and neoplasia consistent with the male rat unique α2μ-globulin nephropathy syndrome. Distinct JP-4-induced respiratory toxicity was not observed, and pulmonary neoplasms were not significantly increased in any treatment group. Benign hepatocellular adenomas were slightly increased in high-dose female mice, but the trend was reversed in male mice. Other pathologic findings were regarded as equivocal or compatible with expected biologic variation. The study did not demonstrate target organ toxicity or carcinogenesis which could be extrapolated to other species.