Short-Term Inhalation Toxicity Testing with Aerosolized Aluminum Chlorhydrate

Short-term exposures of adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats to aerosolized aluminum chlorhydrate in a silicone-ethanol vehicle were conducted to assess the effects of such exposures upon body and tissue weights, various blood constituents, tissue aluminum concentrations, and appropriate histopathology. Rats were exposed 4 hours/day 5 days/week (excluding weekends) for 22 days to concentrations of 0.34 ± 0.22 μg/L and 2.50 ± 0.37 μg/L of solubilized aluminum chlorhydrate as determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The mass medium aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) for the low-dose group was 1.57 ± 0.45 μm. The mean MMAD for the high-dose exposure was 4.28 ± 0.93 μm. No mortality was experienced by any group. Final mean body and most tissue wet weights were not significantly different from sham control values. No remarkable changes were noted in SMA 12/60 blood values for either exposed group. Mean aluminum concentrations of lungs, liver, gastric mucosa, or parathyroids from the high-dose group were not significantly different than mean values for the same organs obtained from a sham exposed group of rats. There were no remarkable histopathological observations.